


Error: Program Not Found

by ElmiDol



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Annoying Droids, Droid Programmer Reader, Dry Humping, F/M, Fic Revamp, Final Pairing Undetermined, General Hux Route, Kylo Ren Route, Masturbation, Oral, Sexting, Three routes starting from chapter 15 onwards, funny business, poly route
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:13:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 63,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24294907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElmiDol/pseuds/ElmiDol
Summary: You are in charge of programming the droids that work most closely with both General Hux and Kylo Ren. Unbeknownst to you, each of these two men have it in their heads that your relationship extends beyond the workplace. This causes things to escalate quickly when your two apparently secret boyfriends compare notes on their respective partner who is far too similar for their liking.[on hiatus indefinitely]
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Reader, Armitage Hux & You, General Hux/Reader, Kylo Ren & Reader, Kylo Ren & You, Kylo Ren/Reader
Comments: 184
Kudos: 295





	1. Reboot

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [This Isn't In My Programming](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12171813) by [ElmiDol](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElmiDol/pseuds/ElmiDol). 



> This is one fic that I have been periodically asked about. The premise of the fic is one that I had proposed with the former co-author when we met in person. There was a falling out that resulted in that individual cyberstalking me and more, which is why I had been reluctant to work on this fic. I was not in a good place. At this time, I am comfortable taking the parts that I personally wrote and writing the fic. After the first two posted chapters, all notes and content written had been deleted by the other author. Therefore only this first chapter and part of the next one will contain passages seen in the previous version. So if you have a feeling of deja vu, there is a chance that you read the original version.

**Error: Program Not Found**

_“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” -Lao Tzu_

One:  Reboot

Of all responsibilities that you had experienced firsthand when it came to working with the entity that called itself the First Order, you found that the most taxing entailed interactions with senators. These self-entitled politicians presented a visible change in demeanor for one man in particular; the man charged with the task of completing a project known as Starkiller. The less pleasant atmosphere that developed did not lessen the intrigue you felt to work alongside the ginger-haired general. The woman you had worked with prior to accepting this position with the First Order had made your life miserable. She had learned each and every one of your insecurities while in the guise of a trusted companion then tore you down as best she could. Generally you did not think of her anymore, however there were occasions when this changed.

You were in charge of the maintenance of the protocol droids that General Armitage Hux used when he confronted Centrist senators of planets not well versed in basic. The droid currently present was one that you yourself had designed and named when working with the aforementioned woman. TeeArr, as you fondly called him, was offering facts that General Hux clearly believed unimportant and unnecessary, thus slowing the progress of the meeting. The man’s attention to appearances was what had him restraining himself from shouting at TeeArr to silence itself. If looks could kill, though, your droid would be long dead.

“Assassination attempts on individuals of your stature are not unheard of. It is unlikely that we will encounter such obstacles with this senator. Although we cannot rule out the potential that we will be double-crossed.”

A part of you wondered if this line of thought stemmed from that history between you and the other woman. TeeArr was protective of you, more than most protocol droids were. It was one of the reasons that you had grown more attached to him. Others might have laughed that you considered a droid to be your dear friend, but you would tell them to shove things where the sun didn’t shine.

Prior to the unsolicited comments from the droid, the room that the three of you occupied had been filled with silence. There was a podium at the front along with a holoprojector that could be used to display a variety of pertinent data. You were seated in one of the chairs that likely held the daily function of holding the students that were enrolled in the academy as they listened to lectures. General Hux sat mere feet away, and TeeArr hovered almost directly atop him. You were somewhat surprised that the redhead had lasted this long without fully scowling. He had glared vibroblades at the droid, yes, but no expression had utilized his entire face. Until now. That expression of disdain and annoyance presented itself at long last.

“It would be unwise to voice these suggestions where they can easily be overheard.” His eyes slid away from the droid over to you. A nonverbal tell that his patience was running thin. While you did find the situation mildly amusing, you were a professional. You kept a straight face and gave a nod to indicate acknowledgment of the order he was giving you.

The protocol droid was rather oblivious to the man’s ire, although TeeArr did verbally acknowledge that yes, it _would_ be unfortunate to be overheard. After clearing your throat, you suggested that the droid, being so concerned, move closer to the door and see if it was able to hear if anyone was coming. While TeeArr completed this task, you mentally calculated just how many times the man you worked for would impatiently tap his foot. You were grateful that this particular protocol droid never complained when assigned menial tasks. The same could not be said for other droids you had programmed. Another model, for instance, had met its end via a bolt from Hux’s blaster, which had decimated the droid’s head.

TeeArr returned with the information that there were no signs of approach from the other side of the door. In truth, you had expected no different. Your attention slipped back to the General, whom you watched as he stared at the floor like he was determined to change the ugly carpeting inside the room. You recognized it as a pattern that had been installed in part of the base you had first worked on after joining the First Order; the carpet had been due to an inventory error that was caused by a disgruntled former employee. It had taken weeks to install and another three weeks to have it successfully removed. The room was now referred to as Kylo Ren’s tantrum room by a select few, yourself included. General Hux was frequently reminded of all the equipment that had been damaged by the Knight’s saber because of the error. It was no wonder he was in a sour mood.

The comfortable silence that had befallen the room persisted until a young assistant entered the room. She bowed by way of greeting whilst saying, “General Hux, the senator has finished preparations for the meeting and will see you now.”

“Very good.” His tone betrayed the words. It was _not_ ‘very good’ that it had taken this long for preparations to be completed seeing as how this meeting had been the senator’s idea. The unprofessional manner in which the senator was conducting himself was nothing that the redhead hadn’t experienced.

You inwardly chuckled upon noticing that he had a slight limp, likely from his foot falling asleep. When General Hux started to look over his shoulder to check whether or not you were following him, you lifted your gaze to not upset him with your observations. To him, looks were everything.

The assistant wore flats, which ensured little sound was made with each of her steps. You were impressed by this, and you had a vague impression that General Hux was taking silent notes. Less noise meant less distractions in the workplace. It would not be the first time someone suggested that female officers would not be allowed to wear heels. You varied between flats and heels; it was dependent upon your mood and what tasks would be yours for the day. There were also occasions when it was easier due to after work event.

It took roughly three minutes for your small entourage to reach the room. The assistant opened the door, stepping aside for your superior to enter. You pressed two fingers against the bridge of your nose as the TR droid rudely stepped in front of you to file in after the man. This was, thankfully, the droid’s trial run for working in this environment; the meeting would largely consist of individuals who could speak Basic. It was a test in behavior. So far the droid was failing. You were not going to point that out yet. It was difficult to predict how droids would react seeing that they had no facial expressions.

You thanked the assistant by way of a quick nod as you walked past her into the room. She returned the gesture. The door closed behind you without the woman joining you.

You, General Hux, and the droid stood on one side of a long table that was in the center of the room. The other party was directly across from you. The senator was quite like how you imagined. Richly dressed to the point of gaudiness. You held in your opinions. After all, you were a professional and knew that anything you said would reflect on the entire First Order. The senator and his group viewed you as nothing more than an underling. Some hound to be kept muzzled. You would entertain this view with the knowledge that in reality you were one of the top droid programmers from your home system.

“We are appreciative of your presence here,” an older gray-haired man said. His attire marked him as one of the senator’s advisors.

General Hux stood more straighter still, something you had not realized was possible; the man was so rigid. “I am hard pressed for time considering the projects that I currently am charged with overseeing. Due to the delay, I have to admit that I find myself doubting the sincerity of your words.”

You would have felt sorry for the blushing senator if it hadn’t been that exact individual who had arranged this meeting. As for the underlings of the politician, you did empathize.

“Please, have a seat,” the senator said. It was notable that he dismissed General Hux’s valid complaints without acknowledging them at all. By way of response, the redhead crossed his arms as he scowled and continued to stand. You were not certain if you should stand or sit. Feet hurting from the heels you were wearing, you silently cursed the pain of several forming blisters and decided to stand in solidarity with your superior. You were hopeful that with General Hux having seen the practicality of the assistant wearing flats for this occasion, that maybe the redhead would not push for you to follow the current First Order dress code for meetings which did involve heels for non-officers. After all, it was only because of his insistence and love for appearances that you were wearing the shoes that you were.

“I require more information on these projects that you speak of. I am providing funding for the Order.” The senator drummed his fingers on the flat surface in front of him while TeeArr translated his subsequent words regarding that this had been stipulations agreed upon at the start of their contract.

You observed your superior in your peripheral. The protocol droid remained silent, and this was something that caused you to feel an enormous amount of relief. General Hux’s lips were a thin line as he stared at the party across the table. He understood the impact silence could have on people. The senator swallowed thickly. Beads of sweat began to gather on his brow. The red-haired man was in contrast perfectly calm. On the exterior, that is. This was a topic of annoyance for him. Senators were far too nosey, which was frustrating. They provided the funding yet they also had loose lips when it came to information that could be sold or further their political career.

“The plans have not changed,” General Hux said simply. Irritation flashed in the senator’s gaze, a deeper blush forming on his cheeks. He sputtered, spittle hitting the table. You were thankful that it did not reach you, something that would have been more than a little disgusting. “Our agreement was that you would be given limited information for the sake of privacy and reducing the risks of security breaches.”

“Regardless, we need to know where the credits are going,” the senator said, slowly raising his eyes to appraise the General’s well-groomed hair before considering your attire as well. “It could be that you funnel the credits for your own personal expenses.” It was a good thing, you reasoned, that you had previously set down your datapad, as you would have dropped it. This senator was far more bold than the ill-mannered protocol droid with which General Hux had been contending.

It was through clenched teeth that your superior responded. “I can assure you, senator,”--he spoke the title as though it were a swear-- “that I do not allow my personal interests to interfere with my work.” You wondered just how many times and in how many ways he had imagined himself murdering the man.

“If I may,” you said quietly, prepared to be silenced by either your superior or the senator. Neither broke out of the staring contest into which they had entered, and yet you could tell that you had their attention all the same. “Our reasons for requiring more funding is that we are dedicated to completing a project that will assist us in our ultimate goal. Right now it is one of our main priorities.”

“And what is this ‘main priority’?” the senator asked with a sneer. You knew that this expression came as a result of his having broken eye contact first in order to properly address you.

General Hux glared, his eyes landing on each person sitting or standing in the room. “It would be unwise to allow this information to leave this room. We are currently working on an army of assassination droids.” The man raised one of his gloved hands, making a gesture in the air towards the protocol droid that was standing beside him. You had a good sabacc face, which is what kept you from reacting. As for the droid…

“Well, this is an honor, to be allowed to present the fine details of such a highly important project. Alas, sir, I regret to inform you that I have not been granted access to any such files on the matter.” TeeArr took another moment to notice that General Hux was essentially pointing at him for another reason. “Sir! I am a protocol droid, well-versed in--”

“That, of course, is the cover,” the redhead said, cutting off both the droid and the response that the senator had started. Trying again, the senator properly voiced his skepticism and the doubt he held regarding the protocol droid as an assassin.

You nodded when General Hux looked to you to continue. “Beginning with this new line, we will be able to place the droids where they will eventually be hired by the target or someone close to the target. The TR line is short for TR8-0R. Since the droids will be viewed as traitors, and thus those who arranged the hit will never be revealed, this was the agreed upon name. It’s been rather exhausting, ensuring that both the assassination and protocol programs are correctly coded into the droids’ memories.”

You did not miss the way the senator’s eyebrows started to rise. He was nodding with approval. His lips were pursed forward, and you wondered if he was thinking of political rivals he would love to see assassinated. Would this be a new project that would now be official for the First Order? Or would General Hux be able to make up an excuse for the project failing? Should that occur, the senator would possibly demand a return of finances. Unless he died…

TeeArr had switched its optics to watch you. The droid was loyal to you, for which you were grateful. He never said a word to undermine your authority or unveil this lie. This served you well since the senator expressed increased interest in the line of fake droids. He was curious to see them in action, which had you silently speculating that he was imagining assassinating numerous rivals with the droids. This was not unlike some of the officers in the First Order. Politics was a deadly business, and the militaristic life of the First Order bred a similar mortality rate.

Likely sensing that the tense atmosphere in the room was not going to dissolve despite the ability to share ideas without either side firing shots, the senator conferred with his advisors and proposed an end to the meeting. He did press to be kept updated in regards to this new project that he would be financing. You nearly snorted. It was funny, you thought, that in the end he was forking over more credits when he had been the one to propose this meeting to see where his credits were going. Some people were reckless. A pity for those on his planet that had to suffer in order to line his pockets.

“I look forward to our next meeting,” the senator said with a nod of dismissal.

By some miracle, TeeArr held its vocoder long enough for the three of you to leave the room before uttering. “That went rather well. You have been properly paid for the service of your time, General. Perhaps being inconvenienced should not be frowned upon if the perpetrator is willing to listen to reason. Although I do suggest a different cover story. Me as an assassination droid. Can you imagine?”

Being that you took pleasure in designing and improving upon droids, you could do just that. General Hux, on the other hand, was not interested in that sort of mental gymnastistics.

There was a certain art in the language of silence. One had to understand mood above all else. Facial expressions, the way the body talked. For instance, the scowl that remained present on General Hux’s face informed you that he was still frustrated with having been pulled away from his work on Starkiller to play nice with the senator. The redhead clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes each time TeeArr moved so much as a millimeter out of line. This practically screamed out the man’s annoyance of the droid. Under these circumstances, you could not say that you blamed him. This behavior from TeeArr was not a glitch sadly. You had sought to create a more free-thinking protocol droid in the hopes that it could offer valuable input when the situation demanded it. The sass was not something you had realized would enter into the equation on this level.

The assistant that had led the three of you to the room in which the meeting had taken place was now walking beside you as a sort of guide, albeit an unnecessary one, back to your transport shuttle. Your eyes dropped down towards the floor. You truly did envy her those flats. You had been aware that there would be excess walking today, and thus when General Hux had insisted that you follow proper uniform protocol, you had felt your mood souring. You were already able to feel where there were blisters forming. It was a topic that irritated you. Women having two separate uniforms depending upon the occasion. Granted, the men did as well. Their shoes were always either flats or boots. They never had to endure heels. Lucky sonsofbanthas.

Of the triumvirate, you favored Captain Phasma at times since you had less direct contact with her. Your meetings were always brief, long enough that she could tell you exactly what her ‘troopers needed, and then you were left to your own devices.

General Hux preferred that you be present during any trial run with newer droids. This was reasonable, you conceded; however, if it meant heels and blisters, you’d rather the man take a flying leap into the nearest trash compactor. Well, not really. He was a good boss overall.

As for Kylo Ren, that man was far more volatile. He had not once harmed you. The same, unfortunately, could not be said for some of your droid projects. The man was sometimes patient enough to allow you to finish before using them. Other times he either forgot that you had not yet installed the shields that would prevent his lightsaber from completely destroying them, or else he was too angered to care. Another thing was that the man never once apologized when he did destroy the droids. His actions did change. He became almost hesitant around you, which always allowed you to know that, on some level, he did feel guilty.

That never stopped you from wanting to take his lightsaber and use the hilt against the side of his head. Not that you could . But you wanted to.

You puffed up your cheeks, blew out a steady stream of air without making much noise, and lifted your gaze so that you were watching where you were going. The docking bay was just up ahead. General Hux appeared to lengthen his strides, likely wanting to quicken your departure so that he would not have to keep face and play nice with TeeArr. Said droid pleasantly made remarks on the layout of the place. It was superior to other locations where the rooms for meetings were too close to the shuttles, which caused difficulty when one was trying to listen and also a higher percentage of permanent damage to hearing. You bobbed your head as you absently listened to the droid. In your mind, you had begun to go over what adjustments would be needed to increase the droid’s probabilities of survival. Had this mission included Kylo Ren, TeeArr would have likely been destroyed.

The senator’s assistant bid farewell when the four of you arrived at the ramp of the shuttle. General Hux gave a curt response without turning around. You would have thought him rude, save for the fact that you, having worked closely with him off and on, knew that he likely was dealing with a forming headache. You kept your response to the assistant brief, however you were more polite than your superior. She smiled, gave a wave, and then started to walk away. TeeArr had since followed in after the redhead. You quickly hurried up the ramp, which began to rise behind you.


	2. Chastisement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all your support. This fic will be my priority for this site, so I will be updating it at least once a week. I wanted to get this second chapter out quickly to catch up to what had already been worked on. You'll notice that things run a little differently here. After this chapter, everything will be entirely fresh content.

**Error: Program Not Found**

_“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” -Dalai Lama_

Two:  Chastisement

Once aboard the transport shuttle, you instructed TeeArr to plug in so that he could return to a fully charged state. Meanwhile you took the seat that was directly across from General Hux due to having the understanding that the pair of you would converse regarding what had occurred in the meeting. For starters, the man was debating whether or not a line of assassination droids wouldn’t benefit the First Order. It did have merit, you agreed, and would not be entirely different from some of the training droids that you had programmed in the past. The targeting programs were familiar to you, while anything else you would have ample time to research. On top of that, you would be provided an appropriate team should the First Order make the decision to follow through with the project. That brought him to the second thing: TeeArr’s behavior. Now that the droid was in a powered down state, General Hux did not have to concern himself with unwanted input during this discussion.

“A free thinking droid can be as detrimental as a human with loose lips,” he said. His eyes narrowed a fraction, however you knew that he wasn’t glaring at you so much as replaying in his head some of the comments that had slipped from the protocol droid.

You hummed your agreement with this assessment. Inwardly, you admitted that you were not completely on the same page as him. The droid’s ability to improvise _did_ come in handy. The issue, in your opinion, rested with the time-delay for TeeArr to recognize situations wherein lies were necessary. You could not expect exact humanoid reasoning from the droid, but that did not mean improvements couldn’t be made. You would tinker with the programs later, and slowly find the happy medium that allowed General Hux to accept TeeArr’s occasional flaws.

“I will work on things. There are several notations that I made in regards to TeeArr’s behavior both prior to and during the meeting with the senator. I apologize for some of its comments.”

Droids were always a work in progress, and this was something that General Hux was aware of. Thus how you phrased your apology did not anger the man. Others may have pressed an issue with you having stated only _some_ of its comments.

The man nodded in acceptance then moved onto voicing his annoyance with the senator’s implications as to where the credits were going. You hummed out a noise in acknowledgment, although you were only half listening to him. Your feet were _aching_. You reached down to rub them. So engrossed were you in your pain that it took you a moment to catch what he had just said. You blinked, repeating it in your mind.

_“I will order lotion for that. You did well today with your input.”_

You were rather surprised by the offer, as you considered the lotion to be more personal than business. As General Hux continued to speak, he began to use his datapad to order the lotion to be delivered. His words of praise meant as much as the gesture. He was not one to hand them out so lightly. That was not to say that he was one to berate you, or that he did not comment that your work was satisfactory. It was simply precisely that, he used that word: satisfactory. The very first time he had done so, you had offered an _I’m sorry?_ This had left both of you stumbling over your words, one of the few times that you had ever witnessed the man thrown off his game, so to speak.

As for the lotion, a small part of you wanted to object due to its cost and the nature of the item. In the end, you were not too proud that you would deny yourself such a luxury. Not to mention that you had worn the heels on his insistence. You bit back a small smile and felt your cheeks heating up. It had been a little since last you had been pampered. Work had kept you busy, to top off the fact that you had been more withdrawn since the incident that had resulted in you separating from ‘that woman’. Throwing yourself into work was what helped you to recover as you had. It kept your mind busy and your walls up.

This was one thing that did make working with General Hux and Kylo Ren more enjoyable, that neither man pressed to know more about your personal life. Everything was strictly business.

“Should we follow through with the TR8-0R line, modifications will need to be made to differentiate between them and your droid.” He could be meaning cosmetic, however you were thinking more along the lines of personality-wise. A combination of the two might be nice. Nothing too drastic, though, otherwise the senator that you had just left would have questions.

The thoughts and the occasional comment from the ginger-haired General filled the remainder of the trip back to the _Finalizer_. As the shuttle landed, you could not help but notice that a rather familiar black-cloaked figure was hovering nearby. TeeArr remained in a powered down state, which was for the best since you doubted that General Hux would want to chance having to deal with both the droid and the Knight. It would be your droid that suffered if it came down to it. Not that droids could exactly feel pain, however they could nonetheless be damaged or destroyed.

“The training droids have been less than satisfactory,” Kylo Ren said as he stepped nearer. His boots were loud on the floor, and this was intentional on his part. Always one to strike fear in others, he was quite the presence in any room. The rivalry between the two men was well known. Getting caught in the middle wouldn’t be fun. “They are already in pieces following a single training exercise with some of your officers.” You did not miss the ‘ _your officers’_ portion, and neither did General Hux. The two men liked to claim that their orders took priority, however if mistakes were made they were just as quick to shove the offending individuals as being under the other’s command. Typical.

You sighed after recalling that you had worked recently with a new batch of training droids that had hardly met your own expectations. Given that you had other, more important, projects to fulfill, you had been ordered to reassign the task to another programmer and technician. Clearly they had not had a chance to properly carry out those orders. Datapad in hand, you powered on the device to bring up the old reports and check whatever other modifications may have been made. Some programming could be done on this device and uploaded to the droids after you arrived at their physical location.

After enduring accusations from the senator, General Hux was in no mood to argue with Kylo Ren. The redhead gestured towards you. “Return command of the droids over to our Programmer. If the issue is beyond her expertise, she is familiar with our technicians and suppliers.”

You were already making a mental note to reassess the shields on the droids’s shells and what they were capable of projecting. If an officer could destroy them, the Knights of Ren would take less time to do even more damage. Caught up in your thoughts, you failed to immediately notice that the masked face had turned your way. Only when you felt something boring into you did you jerk back to the physical world. The mask tilted ever so slightly to the left in what could be curiosity or exasperation. Like droids, helmets did not emote very well. Still, like droids, you were better versed in their stoic language than others. This was how you deduced that Kylo Ren was wondering how the hell someone could zone out when in his presence, because he was _not_ someone to be taken lightly and was a force to be reckoned with.

In the corner of your eye, you caught sight of General Hux staring at you in a similar state of disbelief. “Ah, sorry,” you said with a forced smile. “I was thinking of some quick solutions on the fly.”

“It would serve me better if you thought of them while walking.”

Feeling a little deflated at the admonishing words, you said nothing in protest and simply gave a nod with a _yessir_ prior to dismissing yourself from General Hux’s presence to attend to these duties. You opened a second program on your datapad, this one linked to TeeArr, whom you ordered to awaken and accompany you. He would be an extra set of hands. On top of that, you did enjoy his company. The droid’s metallic footfalls echoed down the ramp of the transport shuttle. They were an interesting contrast to the harder bootsteps that came from Kylo Ren, who had apparently decided to chaperone you.

You reflected on the fact that the Knight had opted to be present during other tasks that he had assigned to you, although this had in the past been due to the fact that he had already planned to utilize whatever room you were in. There was more than one training facility that he could use in this case. You chewed on your lip when considering addressing him and obtaining a proper mood check. You had seen the aftermath of his poorer moods. It was generally best to leave him to his violent outburst while taking shelter then returning at a later time after he had left the vicinity.

The risk you ran with speaking to him was that you could be the cause of his ire. To top it off, TeeArr was beating you to the punch. Let the droid lose a limb. You could repair that a lot more easily than reattaching one of your own.

“Master Ren, you will be thrilled to note that your assessment of the senator was quite accurate. Although seeing that General Hux was able to obtain increased funding, Supreme Leader Snoke may find more favor with him for going. Your absence may in fact prove to be folly.”

There was something inhuman about how quickly Kylo Ren was able to move. Knowing that TeeArr would have struck a nerve with his words, you had begun to turn to ask forgiveness on the part of your droid. Last you had seen him, the Knight’s lightsaber had been on his hip. Now it was in his hand, fully ignited, and severing TeeArr’s arm. You jumped back with a gasp. That you did not fumble with your datapad had to do with an assortment of occupational hazards experienced in the years since you had first started to work with droids. The droid stopped walking. Its head turned so that its eyes landed on the man that had damaged it.

“As a protocol droid, it is my duty to ensure that you learn from behavior that can harm your career. Master Ren, I meant no insult to--”

“I have no need to be scolded by a droid,” Kylo Ren said, his voice deeper than it had been when he had spoken to you. In unison with talking to TeeArr, he had raised the lightsaber so that its glowing tip was in direct line with one of the droid’s optics. “See to it that your droid remembers this.” The red blade disappeared with the press of a button, however the tension in the hallway remained. You nodded quickly as a means to prevent the man’s irritation from growing.

Mentally cursing your beloved TeeArr, you considered that General Hux’s comments in regards to reducing the droid’s ability to think freely held more merit than you had previously given it credit for. TeeArr bent forward to pick up its limb. He had fallen, thank the Maker, silent. The droid carried his arm while the three of you resumed the journey to the training room in which the broken training droids were kept. As soon as the door slid open, you took stock of the scattered pieces of droids that laid before you. Some of them, like TeeArr, could be repaired quite easily in terms of cosmetics. Others were in far too many pieces to be considered anything more than scrap. Yet scrap, too, could be useful.

“TeeArr, join the pile on the left. I will have maintenance come to assist. You will be dealt with first.” It was a pitiable sight that greeted you as you watched your droid obey. Poor TeeArr was setting the jagged edge of its severe arm in line with the portion that remained attached to its larger body. They did not meet up properly. Lightsaber damage had a tendency to do that. Melting and cutting. Such a lethal design, you understood why many beyond Force users also fancied them.

You wondered if Kylo Ren would accept constructive criticism from someone made of flesh and blood. Someone that was your height. Someone that was, well, you. Watching TeeArr clank his arm against its stump again, you decided that you were rather attached to your own limbs and would forgo informing Kylo Ren that he was hindering your ability to work by damaging TeeArr.

Maintenance would have had to be called in anyway given the state of the majority of the training droids. You were reminded why it was that you had been less than satisfied with them when they had arrived. Sometimes manufacturers were cheap, cut corners. Whatever supplier the First Order had gone with, you would suggest to General Hux that the First Order either cut ties or make known their disapproval of the subpar products. The scorch marks on the casings came from blasters and scythes. They were not the appropriate size to have come from a lightsaber, which would have scrapped the droids entirely. Kylo Ren worked regularly with training droids, and that gave you the impression that he would recognize this the moment he stepped into a room with the heaps. It allowed you to better understand why the man had approached General Hux. The issue at hand was not a simple _fix the droids and move on_.

There was a chance that Kylo Ren had had an especially cumbersome mission prior to entering the room with the wrecked droids. His intentions could have been to blow off some steam without wrecking something of substance or cost. You doubted that he had been in a position to deal with someone such as the senator that General Hux had been forced to endure, however that did not mean the frustration was any less valid. Your superiors had rather poor luck, didn’t they? You found yourself feeling badly for them despite what Kylo had done to TeeArr, and so you spoke up to lighten the mood.

“I was considering proposing that the First Order invest in some droids to assist with physical therapy for wounded stormtroopers and officers. Nothing that would push them beyond their limits or discourage proper healing. A combination of programming from a medical droid and training droid would better monitor the individual’s health and progress. There are exercises to be done, stretches that the droid could assist with. The body of the droid would benefit from a design such as TeeArr’s. I wouldn’t quite refer to it as a nurse. Finding the balance would be key.”

“Lest the droid tell the officer that they are doing a _good job_ while they bleed out on the floor.”

“You have a rather grim perspective,” TeeArr commented, the droid clearly not having learned from its previous actions that it was risking damage. This assessment from the protocol droid did not earn it another beating. Instead a noise escaped the helmet that sounded like amusement. You felt yourself begin to smile a little. A sense of humor was not something all droids could appreciate, which sometimes left you feeling lonely when your interactions with organics was limited. Because of his mask and the way he covered his entire body, sometimes Kylo Ren gave off the impression that he was droid-like. A lack of emotions, no real empathy, just a shell of a person carrying out the program Snoke had installed in his drive. It was nice to have proof that this wasn’t exactly true.


	3. Suspicion

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “What greater gift than the love of a cat.” -Charles Dickens _

Three: Suspicion

Handwritten notes were not common anymore, which meant that those who wrote them with such fluid legibility earned your immediate respect. There was a precision to the individual letters on the note that you had in your possession that, no matter its age, stood out on the yellowing paper. It was a note that had been from one of your instructors in grade school to your parents, and within the text was a recommendation that your interest in droids and coding be nurtured. At that young age, you had wanted to know more about those subjects, however how you had envisioned your future had been on a farm or mortuary. The latter had been discouraged by those around you, although you to this day did not know why. Not that you weren’t grateful seeing as how you did love your job. This past interest in mortuary work allowed you to better appreciate grim humor such as what Kylo Ren possessed. The note, meanwhile, was one that you kept whenever you asked yourself why you were there. Bad days happened to everyone. Mistakes occurred. It did not mean you had to quit.

One of the maintenance leads had done an exemplary job of chewing you a new one upon discovering the extra work that was required to fix TeeArr. He placed the blame on you that the droid had been damaged to begin with. Your droid’s programming was flawed according to him. His opinion was similar with General Hux’s in that a freethinking droid had limited use. The point was to have assistance, not some friend.

_ A slave, _ you thought with a sigh. It was not that you disagreed that some of the more robotic droids were not to be considered sentient. The training droids, for one, did not spark any emotional attachment in you. As for others, like TeeArr, it was different. Artificial Intelligence was intelligence all the same. Allowing for personalities to develop was not a means of you replacing the human race or any alien species. They were companions. Happy to complete tasks for their Makers and those that owned them. You were able to tell a lot about a person based on how they treated droids. That idea was paraphrased in the handwritten note that you had kept all these years. Being referred to as  _ intellectual _ and  _ kind _ together, that had touched you.

The note was tucked away in the quarters that you had been given. Still, you conjured it up in your mind’s eye and reread the words that you had long since memorized. While doing so, you lifted the bland ration bar to your mouth, took a bite, and then washed it down with some extra strong caf.

One of the maintenance crew was seated to your right. This young man’s company was much preferable to that of his superior. He spoke to you with the same respect he showed his peers. Very professional. This was the third time that you had worked with him, and you hoped to do so again in the near future. It was a request that you could put in with several First Order officers aside from General Hux. Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren were equally in a position where they could approve such a request. In terms of who was more apt to  _ quickly _ approve or deny the request, that was the redhead. His sleeping schedule was, to your knowledge, horrid. The man drank extra tarine tea and caf to keep up a workload that would have long ago mentally broken others.

Whether the request was approved or denied would influence your own schedule, as you had to work around your teams’s strengths and weaknesses on the various projects that you were assigned to. As a way of remaining professional while also being courteous, you asked the man if working with you on other projects was something that he considered desirable. He admitted to enjoying working alongside you, however would want to know more about the projects first. You chewed this over. Ran through what you could and could not tell him before speaking.

“One of the projects I still need to officially propose for acceptance. I think you would excel on this project, so if I do get the greenlight on it, I’ll give you the details at that time.” He nodded. You could see a spark of intrigue in his eyes that reaffirmed your desire to have him work with you more. The project in question was the one you had unofficially proposed to Kylo Ren. Familiarity with maintenance on the training droids would translate well for him to work in such a role on the physical therapy droids. “Another project that I think you would do well with is one that I will be working on later today. For Millicent.”

His lips quirked towards the sides as he contained a laugh. The noise that escaped him instead was something akin to clearing one’s throat. Most in the First Order that knew of Millicent’s existence marveled over how someone so work-oriented and normally cold like General Hux could be swayed by a tiny creature. He did not allow his care of her to interfere with his job. That was one of the reasons that you had been assigned to design and program droids that could ensure she was kept in the best health. There were plenty of droids on the market that tended to a feline’s basic needs of food and water. As for playing, those were hit or miss. There was no ‘one design fits all’ droid to serve as a companion for a cat. Cats had personalities of their own. The man beside you, Eddard, commented on this.

“Precisely,” you said, flashing a tooth-filled grin. “She has to be kept in his quarters to prevent her from harm…” You snorted directly before adding, “Or harming others by distracting them from work. Plus we know how cats enjoy climbing into engines.”

“Tucking themselves into ships. She’d hide in a TIE, I imagine,” Eddard said. He quirked a single eyebrow then bobbed his head from side to side. “I don’t suppose you have incorporated TIEs into your project for her?”

“In what way?” you asked, growing intrigued. Eddard gave a wave of his hand as he replied. A small TIE that functioned similar to a training droid. The cat would be able to chase it for exercise. If its cockpit opened, depending on the size of the droid, it could double as a cat bed. “I hadn’t considered the cat bed.” It was a great addition to a design that you had started earlier in the week. You pulled up part of the blueprints on your datapad to show to the man. He leaned in for a better view. “The training droids are going to take a few cycles to complete between maintenance and programming. I’ll also do test runs at some of the stages. If you have nothing else of priority level on your schedule, I would love to bring you aboard.”

“If you can get the approval, count me in.”

You finished eating the ration bar and drank the remainder of your caf as you opened up a blank request form and started to fill it in. Eddard offered his badge number as well as other projects that were assigned to him, none of which would have conflicts. You included the specific project with Millicent on the form while noting your interest to have him regularly assigned to your team. Some technicians and maintenance workers his age dissuaded themselves from offering input to their superiors as this man had done. He had the right attitude and tone when speaking to you, which prevented him from sounding arrogant. You imagined his temperament would benefit him should he work with Millicent due to the cat’s territory being in General Hux’s quarters. Others clammed up when in the presence of the redhead. You liked to think that Eddard would not be too starstruck or intimidated where it interfered with his work.

Returning to work on the training droids offered you a distraction while you waited for the General’s response to your request. The maintenance lead’s attitude had not improved with a meal. If anything, he was grumpier and shot you looks of displeasure when he outlined more flaws in the droids’s design. As though  _ you _ had designed them. He might have been blaming you for allowing them to pass initial inspection. Either he ignored the notations in your report regarding their shortcomings, or he hadn’t bothered to read the report at all. Whichever was the case, it spoke more to  _ his _ character than it did yours. If your work had truly been so poor, General Hux or Kylo Ren would have let you know it. It would be no professional courtesy for them to not. On the contrary, it would be a disservice.

The ability to tune out unwanted commotion was a skill you had obtained rather early in your career. This stemmed from the noises droids made alongside the light hum of functioning consoles. Not to mention fingers flying over virtual and physical keyboards during the programming phases of a project. Smaller bases had a tendency to cramp multiple programmers together regardless of whether or not they were working on the same project. Since beginning work for General Hux, you had not been forced to endure that unpleasantness.

_ Just the occasional blisters on my foot. _

To say that you were looking forward to the lotion that he had ordered you was an understatement. On top of that, you had received a message from the man not too long before meal break stating that he had slippers provided for you in his quarters while you worked with Millicent. That, along with no longer being near the grumpy maintenance lead, had you counting down the minutes until you moved on to that project.

As predicted, the response to your request arrived before long. You had heard the chime on your datapad signifying a message, however ignored it for a good twenty minutes so as to not disturb your rhythm while fully recoding one of the programs in the droids. The previous version had been more flawed than you had initially believed; a recording from the training area showed that the delay in the droids’s response time was erroneously logged as being quicker. It was no wonder these things were scrap. Cutting corners should not have resulted in these issues, or so you liked to believe. Granted, what remained was no less positive. That a programmer was poor at their job, or that they didn’t care if lives were lost. You thought back to the morbid joke that Kylo Ren had made in regards to the physical therapy droids praising a patient as they bled out. It was a realistic possibility with the wrong programming.

The reply to the request had been favorable to you. Eddard would be given a probationary position with you for the project with Millicent. Any work he did would have to be approved by a senior member of maintenance. Just as with humans, a cat could easily be injured or even killed by a droid mishap. General Hux cared too much for Millicent to allow that to happen, and his terms were ones that you yourself would have made had the roles been reversed.

Eddard walked along beside you from the training area to General Hux’s quarters. There was not much chance for proper dialogue, this mostly due to the two of you wishing to bring up visuals for the project. He did release a thoughtful  _ hmm _ when you were immediately permitted entry. The clearance cylinder required would not have been given out to many. Thus Eddard was taking a second to appreciate the level of trust that was placed in you by those running the First Order. General Hux in particular was distrustful of others. He normally had a guard at his door no matter the ship or base he was located on.

You kicked off your shoes after you were inside the door and before it had slid closed behind Eddard. The slippers that General Hux had mentioned were to the right of the doorway, and they were just as comfortable as you had imagined they would be. Their presence earned another noise of interest from Eddard. You snorted in response to him, shaking your head and smiling. You pointed down at one of the blisters that had started to form from your heels. The man gave an expression of sympathy then verbally pushed that it was still surprising. You shrugged off his words despite a voice nagging at you that the impression others had was important. An outsider could see more in a relationship sometimes than those involved, things the parties were blinded to. They also, you argued, read too much into things at times and spoiled what had once been good. The good working relationship that you had with General Hux was not something to be ruined.

“Millicent, pssp, pssp, pssp,” you said, squatting down and snapping your fingers to coax the small tabby feline out from wherever she might be hiding. If she did not come immediately, there was a list of three locations that she frequented. Two of them she utilized for sleep. The third was a hiding spot when she could smell strangers. You repeated her name, this time a little more loudly. A tiny  _ mew _ issued from her preferred hiding place.

The tabby slipped out from underneath the couch. She stopped when she saw Eddard. Sat down with her tail curled around her body, ducked her shoulders as she readied herself to flee if he made a sudden move. You inched forward at a slow pace to prevent any movement that would put her more on edge. Millicent ducked her head, but she remained where she was and allowed you to scoop her up into your hands. You stood, turned around, and walked over to Eddard.

The maintenance worker peered down at the cat that you were cradling. “He places a lot of trust in you, allowing you to come into his quarters unsupervised.” Eddard gave a nod towards the cat. “Letting you see what makes him, well, more human.”

You drew Millicent closer to your body. Swiped a thumb back and forth, scratching her in a way that had her purring. “I’ve proven myself with the work that I do. Many of the projects place me in close proximity to General Hux, so he knows that I would never harm little Millicent here. Besides,” you started with an amused smirk, “he has surveillance.” Eddard startled at those words. The man twisted to look around the room for cameras. “Come on. General Hux’s orders stand: the blueprints must be completed before the cycle ends. He wants to review them before construction begins.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will feature at least one of our boys~


	4. Gossip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone commenting. Your words always brighten my day, and help keep me motivated. I appreciate the support!

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “Gossip is the opiate of the oppressed.” - Erica Jong _

Four: Gossip

Millicent did not take long to adjust to Eddard’s presence. She curled up three feet away from him on the ground. Startling twice in the first ten minutes that he was in the quarters, the feline opted to follow him with her eyes then determined he was not a threat. It was at this point that she fell asleep whilst purring up a storm. Eddard, after this occurred, seemed to feel freer to move about as needed to map out the room. It was this that provided him insight as to how large the TIE-shaped droid would need to be. You already had your own idea and measurements, however a second opinion on this front was not unwise. To top it off, there would be necessary adjustments should the suggestion of the droid doubling as a cat bed be utilized.

Basic knowledge of droid engineering was required for your career and current position. That hardly made you an expert, which was why your designs often met with modifications by those on your team. Experience was an excellent teacher. The ability to choose members of your team proved an asset when you took this into consideration rather than become insulted should any subordinates correct you. Where this had the potential of becoming an issue was during optional modifications and alterations to blueprints that you did not accept for the final project; there were engineers and technicians

Gossip and arrogance were what you worked hard to avoid in the workplace. Thus far Eddard did not seem the kind to start gossip. As to whether or not he would believe gossip, this was not anything you could determine in the short amount of time that you had known him. There had been nothing to set off alarm bells in your head regarding these matters.

Eddard sketched out his own tentative design for the TIE-shaped droid on the datapad that he had brought with him. It was a model older than the one you possessed, and one you recognized as being assigned to newer workers within the First Order. He might have been given the datapad after a transfer from a different base. In the end, this was not important enough for you to spend more time thinking about it. You instead asked that he link you to the project in order for you to pull up the hologram on your own device. Eddard complied, and you changed the settings on your datapad so that you were able to display both blueprints side by side.

Merging the two versions together, you worked through which portions of the droid were superfluous. The bed idea was one that you were growing fond of. This rang more true as you came to realize that one of the toys you had scrapped before was perfect for this altered version of the droid. It would be capable of deploying a fuzzy ball attached to a string for Millicent to chase. The droid when in bed form could continue to dangle the ball, giving the cat the option to play while in a more relaxed state. You kept the hover setting along with the light beam that Millicent would chase. Reducing the altitude that the droid could reach was a necessity; the added bulk of the bed feature would otherwise be a danger to the cat.

The revised blueprint was not yet completed when Eddard was set to go off duty for the remainder of the cycle. You informed him that you would finish the fine details for General Hux to look over. Anything more would be minor, and Eddard would receive a chance to look over the project along with the lead engineer that would begin construction. Most work left revolved around programming as well as ensuring the droid had the necessary components to carry out the instructions you wished to give it. In the end, the remaining work rested on your shoulders anyway. Eddard exited the quarters with a wave of farewell.

Millicent slunk forward to climb into your lap. She nudged your datapad with her head until you lifted it a fraction higher. The new position was awkward on your arms. The muscles in your limbs cramped, prompting you to push your elbows outwards. It was not a large improvement, however you had worked in worse conditions.

“TeeArr should be repaired soon,” you said under your breath. Your fingers were in constant motion typing in commands for the program to display. Examples of what cushions could rest within the droid without becoming a fire hazard. “I don’t know how soon General Hux wants me to alter his programming, do you?”You dipped your chin. Two bright eyes stared up at you in reply. They were similar to those of her owner’s. This was nothing you had made much of a note of before.

The door to General Hux’s quarters opened not a quarter of an hour later. You did not bother to turn around to greet the one who entered. This was not to be taken as unprofessional behavior by the man; he had always been upfront that he preferred that his presence not interrupt the flow of work. You were right then hitting the  _ finalize _ command for the program. This set the blueprint as read-only and would allow you to send it to General Hux then later the engineer to work with without either being forced to run the program that you had been using. It would lessen the strain on their datapads as well as prevent accidental edits. Millicent, unlike you, happily raced towards her owner and greeted him.

Feet shuffling spoke of how General Hux altered his stance to lift up his beloved cat. As for the rustle of a bag, that did draw your attention away from the image displayed on your datapad. You spared a brief glance over your shoulder. He was carrying with him a cloth bag that had a logo you recognized from the lotion that he had been ordering.

_ That was fast _ , you thought, fighting off the urge to scowl. It was one thing for him to purchase a high end product. Another to pay the exuberant price for same-day delivery. You held in these thoughts despite the bubbling urge to protest so that such behavior was not repeated. That in itself would have been presumptuous. He had not promised to give you anything beyond this single bottle.

You wiggled your toes in your slippers. General Hux had set the bag down on the ground next to you. Next he sat on the couch, drew a blanket over his lap, and placed Millicent atop it. He would not cover his uniform in fur. Not that he didn’t own several lint brushes for the occasions that her fur did stick to his clothing.

“I’ll have the blueprint sent in just a moment,” you said. You straightened your posture and watched the movement of his hand. He stroked Millicent head to tail. She purred at his touch while nuzzling him through the blanket. “Eddard had several suggestions that helped. I appreciate you giving approval.”

“I look forward to seeing the results.” General Hux paused in stroking the top of Millicent’s head. “I overheard how Kylo Ren damaged TeeArr. Is this something you would like me to address with him?”

It was a kind offer even without the animosity that existed between the two men. You declined, albeit not without thanking him for the offer. General Hux continued with surprising you. He stated that you need not wait to use the lotion. He had caught a glimpse of the forming blisters again when he had walked into the room. Treating them as soon as possible was wise. This time you took him up on the offer. You stretched out your legs, removed the slippers from your feet, and opened the bottle of lotion. Using one hand, you applied some to your right foot simultaneous to attaching the blueprint to a message that you sent to General Hux.

“You can sit on the couch if you would like,” he offered, tilting his head a little to the left to indicate the cushion beside him. His words elicited a stutter from your heart as blood pooled into your cheeks. This, in your opinion, entirely intimate behavior was worrying you. He had been sleeping even less than usual. That had to be it, you reasoned. Otherwise there was a chance he was feverish. You were not about to request the chance to feel his forehead to check. Likewise, you could think of no way to ask if he felt alright without insulting him.

You reached for the bottle of lotion again to apply some to your other foot. “Uhm…” A thought entered your mind:  _ it will be easier to discuss the project if you are sitting next to him _ . “Thank you. Just one moment.”

General Hux nodded acknowledgement. He resumed petting Millicent with one hand, and with the other he grabbed his datapad to review the work that you had sent to him. You finished rubbing and massaging the lotion into your foot. Already there was a light tingling sensation as the product soothed some of the discomfort. You lifted the bottle to eye level and read its name. Smiled a little to yourself. Finally you replaced the bottle in the bag that you would later take, and stood to join him on the couch. He did not react as you sat down beside him.

He did, however, lean into the back of the couch. Lounged rather than sat rigid as he normally did. Your eyebrows rose. Averting your face in the hopes that he had not caught your expression, you began to speak of the alterations that you and Eddard had made. The cat bed drew from him an interest  _ hmm _ and he expanded the image to zoom in on the design.

“It is a much different project compared with training and assassination droids.” So conversational, you thought. You were already nodding in agreement when you were reminded of the project that you had mentioned to Kylo Ren. “If I may, there is another project I wish to discuss once this is submitted to the engineering team.” His green-blue eyes left the image to search your face. The close proximity allowed you the ability to appreciate how  _ soft _ his features could be and how young he was given his rank. “Physical training droids for wounded officers and stormtroopers.” You wondered for a second if you should have held off giving a pitch until later.

That second passed. General Hux offered something of a smile; not quite a grin, not a smirk. “Your mind is rather remarkable.” If he was aiming to give you a heart attack or kill you with praise, he was close to succeeding. “I will arrange time for your official proposal.” He turned back to the blueprint. Maker, you were grateful that he did. It was the one thing that allowed you to regather yourself as you worked through the shock and pleasure of being complimented in such a forthcoming manner by General Hux.

You again began to verbally outline your thoughts on the TIE droid. You focused on the reduced altitude and the complications that might arise for the engineer while the individual decided which material would best serve as cushion for the bed. You imagined that this would require additional testing by the engineer, and those tests might include your presence to work on the programming. This, you acknowledged, might push back the time for when you were prepared to officially propose the new project to the board. It would not be an issue, and General Hux was prepared for potential delays.

More might have been said had you not received a summons from the maintenance lead you had no fond feelings for. The issue was not with the training droids, however, but with TeeArr. General Hux gave his approval for you to dismiss yourself. You grabbed the bag that he had brought for you and carried it along with your datapad out of the room. Your mind was already proposing numerous possibilities as to what had gone wrong with TeeArr. The vagueness of the message irritated you. It served as yet another reason why you hoped to not have many projects with the man in the future.

On the way to the maintenance room that TeeArr had been taken to, you walked past a group of three stormtroopers. Their postures were rather lax in comparison with what you knew was expected of them. One was playing the role of lookout. His visor tracked your movements before returning to stare at the other end of the hallway. The other two were speaking. You generally did not make a point to eavesdrop, but when your mind registered the name  _ General Hux _ , you couldn’t help but listen while you walked.

“I hear he’s going to be spending some time with his girl,” one stormtrooper theatrically whispered conspiratorially to the other. You had two thoughts on this; the first was how childish it was to gossip, and the second was wondering how much General Hux spoiled the woman he was romantically involved with. Unless, you continued, it was nothing more than a political arrangement. His strange behavior suddenly made more sense to you. It was better that it was due to romance than that he was falling ill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will have Kylo. I decided to divide up the outline into two chapters for this portion since there was a time jump anyway. I think the flow will be better.


	5. Morale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any glaring mistakes in this chapter. It's been a headache week.

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” - Japanese proverb _

Five: Morale

TeeArr’s new arm was not a different color than the old one, however it offered that impression due to its newness. Light reflected off its surface more freely than the dulled exterior of the droid’s other limbs. You made a note to have the protocol droid properly bathed. Had the maintenance lead not been so caught up in admonishing and berating you for TeeArr’s constant critiques on his work, the man would have done his job more thoroughly and the task would have already been completed. Listening to him had been exasperating enough that you had failed to take into account that TeeArr would not have been bathed. Rolling your eyes, you let yourself remember the expression on the man’s face. He had been ticked. Riled up. Stating what TeeArr had been doing only to be corrected by the protocol droid over one of the finer details of the situation they had shared. You snorted at that.

“I see nothing funny here,” TeeArr said. His head turned one way then the next, no doubt in an attempt to discover your source of amusement. There was nothing in the hallway for him to discover aside from the normal closed doors, mouse droids, and First Order personnel.

You waved your hand, wagging it back and forth after bending your elbow to raise the limb partway towards your face. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell you later.” TeeArr gave the droid equivalent of an exasperated sigh. He had charged while you had slept a few hours after you had retrieved him from the maintenance lead. A new shift was set to start in under an hour, and your plan was to arrive first to continue repairing the training droids. The team would be no different than the previous cycle. Kylo Ren was present again as well, you noticed upon entering the training area.

Droids that were in later stages of repair had been placed into a separate section in the room than the ones you had yet to work on. Kylo Ren, wearing his full outfit to include hood and mask, stood beside the pile. His back was to you, but that did not stop you from realizing that he was inspecting the droids. You were unsure if it was due to impatience or if he was merely curious as to what modifications had been made. Superior materials had been brought in; that had been one area that you and the maintenance lead had not clashed.

TeeArr was not oblivious to Kylo Ren’s attendance. He was, however, thankfully more tactful when addressing him. “Ah! Commander Ren. You will be pleased to know that my arm has been fully restored. I can now assist in repairing these droids.” Kylo Ren slowly turned around. The action felt delayed enough that you blinked to ensure you weren’t imagining movement. As your eyelids lifted, Kylo pointed his mask in your direction. You gave an awkward wave. “And it is just as well. Did you know that some of your First Order employees utilize their work datapads for unprofessional functions?”

Kylo Ren offered his full attention to TeeArr. Your eyes started to widen, and you recognized that you were growing nervous when you felt your leg muscles tensing. This was not a time to have a repeat of the previous day.

“Indeed, sir. Despite the limited memory on their datapads, some of the technicians and mechanics stash a sealed folder of holovids that add nothing to the furtherment of the First Order’s goals.”

“Oh,” you said though you had not been the one TeeArr had been addressing. “Humor helps keep morale up.”

TeeArr turned its head to look at you. “I will never understand humans. Nakedness as--”

“Wait!” You held up your hands, waving both of them back and forth to silence TeeArr, who for once listened immediately.

Kylo Ren took a step in your direction. You dropped your hands, began to sputter out an apology for the inappropriate conversation, and found that your tongue did not want to work. Clearing your throat, you were ready to try again when Kylo Ren paused only a foot away from you. Sometimes you forgot just how tall he was.

“Your droid has such  _ filthy _ preoccupations.” You swallowed hard. There was no anger in his tone, and his hands were not clenched. In terms of Kylo Ren body language, he was approachable. You repeated what he had said, specifically his choice of words, in your head. As when General Hux had caught you off guard, you found your face growing warm. “Is that what you discuss with it?” You did  _ not _ discuss sex with droids.

Before you could properly respond to his question, the door to the training room slid open and Kylo Ren took a step away from you. Only a single step, yet the distance felt greater. Your mind took a moment to register why this was. His fingers had curled towards his palms into loose fists. Less approachable now. He did not wish to speak so freely, or be spoken to quite openly, when there were others besides you in the room. This struck you as odd. You had never before allowed yourself time to consider that Kylo Ren might view you as anything other than a programmer. His actions, subtle as they were, could not slip your notice now.

It rang true that familiarity could allow one to naturally lower their defenses. You did not consider yourself to be  _ friends _ with Kylo Ren. On that same note, you did not fear him quite as much as others did, and you were aware that he respected your work. This easily translated into personal respect. More when you thought of the limited social contact he appeared to have.

Looking away from Kylo Ren, you greeted the female mechanic that walked into the room. Her eyes darted from Kylo to you. You assumed that, like you, she had arrived with the intention of starting work a little early. Which meant that she had not expected anyone else to be in the room, not to mention Kylo Ren of all people. TeeArr, despite being a droid, could sometimes read a room. This rang true when he realized that the woman had not moved any closer to the droids that she had come to repair. TeeArr grabbed hold of one of the badly damaged pieces and walked over to her. She startled at that, offered her gratitude, and took the droid to begin work.

You lowered yourself into a comfortable sitting position to do likewise. Several of the programs that you had altered for the droids were more to the copy/paste stage once you deleted lines of coding that they currently possessed. What was most time consuming with this was that you had to link your datapad to each droid individually. This was not something that TeeArr would have been able to assist you with, and so you found yourself suddenly grateful that the mechanic had arrived to keep the droid occupied. Otherwise who knows what conversation TeeArr might have ventured to have with Kylo Ren.

Connecting the first training droid with your datapad, you were reminded that some of them had different programming than others. Their systems were bogged down with erroneous codes and unnecessary data.

Kylo Ren picked up one of the droids from the pile on the opposite side of the room. You divided your attention between your work and what he was doing. None of the droids had been given a proper test to check if their functions had improved. It was technically not quite safe for someone to conduct such a test with the method that Kylo Ren had chosen to use. That is, turning them on and drawing the hilt of his lightsaber from off his belt. The nearest exit was too far from your position to correctly dart out of it before the training droid fired its first blast. You jumped in place. The hiss of the lightsaber igniting was practically drowned out by the way its plasma blade deflected the blast. Such speed was not natural, you thought.

_ Perhaps that’s the allure of the Force _ , you reminded yourself.

A second then third bolt were sent away without hitting their target as Kylo Ren flexed his wrist. The small strokes caught your eye. Training droids were programmed to learn from those they trained. The most basic of programming was no match for one of Kylo Ren’s skill. Which had you considering doing research into newer attack methods to offer a better variety. It would be much the same as how you hoped to handle the physical therapy droids should they be approved. Geared towards the individual, in this case programmed with increased speed and more feints. There were rumors that Jedi, and perhaps Sith, had once used modified droids. Yet it was also said that the Jedi and Sith had never existed. It all depended upon who you spoke with.

You did believe that they had once existed, and Kylo Ren’s presence reaffirmed this belief. The red plasma blade arced through the air at a leisurely pace. The droid did not dodge in time. Wincing, you were already mouthing a swear before Kylo Ren looked in your direction.

“Does it recognize that its casing is heavier?”

_ Thicker _ , you thought in correction. Then found yourself pursing your lips when he sliced through the droid like butter with his blade. “That is not helpful.” TeeArr’s voice mingled with your own, which produced an echo effect that gave you pause. When you continued speaking three seconds later, it was only your voice that sounded. “Not to be disrespectful.”

“Do you keep a hidden folder on your datapad?” Kylo Ren said by way of countering. Your eyes darted to the mechanic only for you to discover that she had put on headgear to help her focus on her work. You should have realized by the change in his behavior that your interactions were not being so readily observed by the other party. “That isn’t quite helpful either...not for your job.”

“It-it-it’s for morale!”

“Oh?”

The heat that had enveloped your face grew in intensity. “Funny holovids. Not...not  _ that _ .” TeeArr, ever helpful, decided to elaborate on the fact that the content was largely animal-based. As though disappointed by this revelation, Kylo Ren returned his focus on the pile of partially repaired droids. You narrowed your eyes and bristled while observing him lift up another.  _ He _ was your superior, you reminded yourself, much to your displeasure. You did not frequently dislike working for him. And, in many ways, the droids were for more than just him. That did not change the fact that you were presently displeased with being involved in this project.

To take a page out of the other woman’s book, you grabbed hold of headgear that had been left by one of the other workers and slid it over your ears. That drowned out the sound of whatever training Kylo Ren had decided to participate in. Training and destruction, predominately the latter. Your fingers began to fly across the keys as you input the instructions for the programming change in the droids. TeeArr walked to and from the two piles of droids. He was following the commands of the other female, and you did not take offense to the fact that she had failed to ask you permission to use your droid. It was better she use him than Kylo Ren.

Three more of the training droids were quick to have corrections on their programming, while the fourth that you encountered had encryptions that most definitely should  _ not _ have been there. Your thoughts flashed briefly to the folders that TeeArr had mentioned in regards to pornographic holovids then to your own critter shorts. Other hidden files could be program-based. Spyware. This was not something that you recalled encountering on your previous inspections of the droids, and you distinctly remembered going over each droid one by one. It was tedious work to be certain, but you were not one to allow these flaws to slip through the cracks.

_ And the droid that Kylo Ren destroyed should not have behaved as poorly as it did. _ You drummed four fingers on your leg in thought. “Commander?” There was no response. You repeated the title, looking up to find that he was already standing in front of you. You grabbed hold of the headgear to remove it and set the item to your right. “What channels must I go through to have security feed reviewed?”

“There is no need. You’ve passed the test.”

What the kriff did that mean? The question would have been apparent on your face given how a low chuckle escaped the vocoder.

“It was requested that your performance be reviewed given how poorly these droids functioned.” You wanted to scream at the top of your lungs that you had been pulled off the assignment prematurely. That would have done you no good, and would have served only to have given Kylo Ren either a laugh or a headache. “I know that you are thorough.” He squatted down in front of you, prompting you to sit straighter. “Perhaps you should be rewarded.”

By your next inhalation, he had already pulled away from you and was standing to his full height. You glanced past him. As you had expected, the other female was wrapping up work on the droid that she had been preoccupied with. Kylo Ren’s guard was up again. Her headgear, however, had not been removed.

“Perhaps more holovids for your morale.”

His teasing was flirtatious, that much you were beginning to recognize.

“Uhm… That isn’t necessary.” His stare lingered on you for another moment before Kylo Ren turned away and walked towards the exit of the room. You watched him. Wondered if this behavior was something that you should address then wondered if  _ all _ the droids had been compromised for this test to take place. You should have stayed in bed longer.

_ Except then I’d have had more witnesses to this ridiculous test. _ Rolling your eyes, you grabbed for one of the other droids to see how much of a mess you were in.


	6. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New droid idea is by Alice_in_Yaoiland. Absolutely brilliant, thank you again for proposing it and letting me use the idea!
> 
> Updating on Thursday instead of Friday since it's ready right now.

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “Why can’t you just tell me what you feel, because the way you act is confusing me.” _

Six: Confessions

You were given plenty of space by your coworkers for the remainder of the day. The foul mood that you fell into as you considered the fact that someone had put in an official complaint pertaining to your work worsened with time. A part of you was angry with Kylo Ren and General Hux both; with the former, that he had been there to conduct the test, while with the latter that he hadn’t said it was unnecessary from the start. The First Order was thorough, but so were you. In all the work that you had done for them, you had not given them a chance to question that. One small mistake that had not even been yours, that single thing had cast enough doubt that they had followed through with an official test. The audacity of Kylo Ren, flirting with you as he conducted the test!

Your upper lip began to draw back so that your teeth were revealed in a snarl. Catching sight of your reflection on the surface of a training droid, you forced your features to relax. TeeArr accepted the round, ball-like droid from you when you tilted it into the protocol droid’s grasp. This was how the training droids left your care to be entrusted with the maintenance crew that would run a mock program as a means of ensuring the droids were at last in working order. This was also the method that those in maintenance had been using to send you other training droids when they required additional programming. Only Eddard braved coming to you directly.

It was without a doubt that all in the training facility were aware that you had been tested. No one had said a word regarding the matter, which meant that they had known ahead of time. That well explained their tardiness; they had trickled into the area ten to fifteen minutes late. Each person that had arrived had glanced your way. Those kriffing  _ knowing _ expressions. At the very least it had confirmed your suspicions as to who had lodged the complaint. That sleemo maintenance lead, who right then was stifling a yawn with the back of his hand. He had been ignoring you since he had arrived and in some ways you preferred it this way. The urge to argue with him would have been too great, but that was nothing more than petty behavior that would reflect badly on you.

Work on the TIE droid for Millicent had been delayed when the engineer assigned to the project had been called into a consultation meeting for another. This was not something that you hadn’t planned for given how common such an occurrence was. Instead of speaking with the engineer later, your plan was to draft up a better outline of the physical therapy droids that you wanted to help design.

Eddard’s hands wrapped around the droid as you finished disconnecting it from your datapad. You tilted back your head, forced a smile, and asked if he had been assigned any new projects. “Not yet,” he said with a shrug. “You got something?”

You repeated the first two words of his response to you in unison with making a vague hand gesture in the air to imply that you were working your way towards that goal. Speaking to him had also occurred due to the ulterior motive of you wanting to focus on something more positive to help soften your mood. The anger would otherwise fester to the point that you were blinded by rage when you were at last able to begin outlining the physical therapy droid proposal. Shooting yourself in the foot was  _ not _ something that you were interested in. On top of that, the only other distraction that your mind had been able to conjure was to think of the way that Kylo Ren had flirted with you. You were not ready to go there just yet.

With slightly improved spirits you sank into your work for the hours that followed. TeeArr was on his best behavior even after you left the training area with him. There was nothing on your schedule aside from the aforementioned self-appointed task. You had decided to utilize your time as best you could by sending TeeArr off for cleaning while you went to your quarters. The quietude of the room was welcome and more than a little refreshing after a day of repairs. You had not realized that a headache had been forming from the noise until the noise was taken away. Also adding to the tension was that ever lingering memory of Kylo Ren’s flirtations.

You were not opposed to the idea entirely. It was more that you had never given much thought to it. He hadn’t seemed the type and you were busy. This allowed your thoughts to wander to General Hux and whatever lady he was involved with. How did he do it? The man was busy beyond all reason. You did not see how he could properly juggle a relationship with the duties that were assigned to him. Your mind offered you the memory of how he had treated you.

Shoving all of that aside, you opened up the file that you had previously started for the project proposal and set to work. You typed up revisions and tentative programs that could be used alongside characteristics from medical droids that would be beneficial to the new ones. You were midway through one of the revisions when a summons from the engineer on the Millicent project arrived. Huffing, you completed the task, saved the file, and packed away your things. It was not that you weren’t pleased to see that work would begin closer to schedule, but more that you hated to have the flow of creativity interrupted.

The engineer, whose badge read Aelin, was already building a part of the droid by the time you entered. “Was the meeting cut short?”

“Complications,” Aelin said. He drummed his finger on the surface of the worktable that housed multiple components. “You’ve never been one for gossip, but this one might be worth your while.” You could not contain the urge to roll your eyes. “General Hux and Kylo Ren are, apparently, dating the same woman.”

You scowled at the news. Not only was this woman two-timing General Hux; Kylo Ren was two-timing her by flirting with you! You felt sullied. Shoulders slouching, you wrinkled your nose in distaste This was the sort of gossip that you wanted nothing to do with. At the same time, a part of you was thankful that Aelin had informed you since you had started to toy with the idea of accepting Kylo Ren’s flirtations.

“I wasn’t there for the revelation, but Maker if I don’t wish I had been.” You did not share these sentiments. Aelin cleared his throat. “That isn’t why I called you. I’ve been informed of the other project that you will soon be proposing.” A nod from you was all that he needed by way of encouragement to continue. “I would not be in a position to accept the role of lead engineer even if it were asked of me, however I hope that you will recommend that I play a part in it?” A smile spread across your features. Aelin, despite the joy he received from gossip, was someone that you liked more and more as you worked with him.

You took a seat at one of the unused desks in the room. Aelin had an idea to expand on your droid proposal. While physical therapy droids were beneficial to those recovering from maladies and injuries, there were other issues that officers faced on a more daily basis. Not only officers, but technicians, mechanics, and programmers as well. He shot you a wink as he said this. You smirked to yourself. He was not flirting with you, otherwise you would have found yourself uncomfortable given what you had learned of Kylo Ren’s behavior. Aelin was very much devoted to his partner and uninterested in females.

The engineer’s addition to your project would utilize the same programming involved in encouraging those the droid was assigned to. This would be to help them complete tasks and remain on target for set deadlines. As Aelin spoke, you typed out his words to be edited once the idea was more fleshed out. You had to be careful to show how these two projects tied into one another otherwise you could be facing a rejection on the basis of overcomplicating things. These droids would be a little more aggressive than their counterparts, albeit not in the sense that they were violent towards the person. An anti procrastination droid that was adaptable to a person’s mental and physical limitations. You could see precisely how this would tie into what you had already been proposing.

Just as you were typing up a note for how best to merge the two ideas so that they fit together as a single project, the door opened faster than it should have been able to. Your head jerked in that direction. General Hux had his finger pressed on the button that opened the door, meanwhile Kylo Ren had one hand extended out to the side. You never did like when he used the Force in ways that would damage property. You also  _ hated _ how both men had their attention glued to you. General Hux was glaring and you could only imagine that Kylo Ren was doing the same if his posture gave you any indication.

“You were rather clever with the TR8-0R name. Was that a joke?”

“I’m sorry?” It felt like your brain had stopped functioning properly. Aelin ducked down behind the desk that he had been working at. His hands drew the portions of the TIE droid he was working on with him. You looked away from the engineer to face the two men that you worked for.

General Hux’s lip curled back in a snarl. The disgust that was present in his gaze fought against disappointment and hurt. You flinched at the sight of it and wondered again what it was that you were being accused of. You were doing what you could to be understanding. The blow to his pride because of his girlfriend’s actions would be a fresh wound. It confused you further, therefore, that he had allowed Kylo Ren to accompany him. Or was Kylo Ren simply that cruel? The two men often bickered in regards to work methods. This was very different, and you were at a loss for how to conduct yourself.

Glancing first at General Hux then at Kylo Ren and back again, you set aside your datapad and rose to your feet. Kylo Ren had his hands curled into fists. General Hux’s glare had not lessened in intensity.

“I swear to the Maker that I was unaware of what was going on in your personal life. The TR8-0R droids, that name, had nothing to do with--”

“ _ My _ personal life?” he snapped, cutting you off and taking a step forward. You recoiled. Ducked your head and furrowed your brow while looking towards the masked face to General Hux’s side. Kylo Ren had started to open his hands. His relaxed stance did not last for long, however, as he clenched his hands into fists again. “There is confirmation that you engaged in flirtatious behavior with Kylo Ren. Do not deny it. You are the guilty party as much as he is.”

You blinked thrice in rapid succession. “He, uhm, yes flirted with me. I did not--what does that have to do with…” Realization began to dawn on you. What Aelin had said the latest gossip was repeated in your head. “One moment. Let’s get something straight: I’ve never dated  _ either _ of you!”

There was a sound coming from where Aelin remained hidden behind the desk. It was like a soft gasp that drew attention to the fact that he had been working on the project. He failed to resume after seeming to recover from the shock of how you had spoken to Kylo Ren and General Hux. That, or his surprise stemmed from the rumored girlfriend having been revealed. You had to admit that you were just as stunned, and you tried to go over any behavior that you had exhibited that would have given them this impression. It also shed light onto their behavior. The flirtation. The gift of lotion.

Kylo Ren had stiffened when you had denied having been involved with him. General Hux had looked as though you had physically slapped him. They turned to study one another. Perhaps wondering if you were trying to save face, if you were covering for your boyfriend by denying things in public. In order to set things clear you pointed to each of them in turn and repeated what you had said.

“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, and I can assure you, General Hux, that I would not have accepted the lotion if I had known.”

Kylo Ren stepped closer. You winced as he raised his hand and reached for your face. In truth you had expected him to use the Force to harm you given his track record with First Order personnel. Instead he cupped the side of your face with that gloved hand. The leather was smooth save for on the seams, which dragged along the flesh of your cheek. You trembled at his touch, still waiting to be hurt. General Hux moved forward. He knew better than to lay his hands on Kylo Ren and so splayed a hand on your chest to shove at you instead. Not hard enough to force you to the ground, thankfully, but enough where you stumbled backwards a few steps. The two men once more faced one another with tension so thick it made your breath catch in your throat.

“Perhaps we should discuss this in a more comfortable setting.” You did not want to discuss it at all. The idea of doing so was more nerve racking than any work proposal you had ever given. It did not escape your notice that General Hux and Kylo Ren were both reluctant to release these romantic feelings they had for you. Nor were they giving into anger now that they had been made aware you had not cheated on either of them. Whatever delusion they had been entertaining themselves with, they wanted to make it a reality.

Before anything more got underway, you wanted clarity on how a conversation revolving around their “girlfriend” had occurred. Voicing as much in a respectful tone, you received another round of silence that was followed by General Hux clearing his throat. The redhead shot a glowering look in Kylo Ren’s direction while he spoke. The test that you had been forced to undergo had led to General Hux commenting that having a work-driven significant other contained many benefits. Kylo Ren had responded in surprise that they agreed on anything. That devolved--your words, not his--into comparisons as to what made  _ their _ girlfriend the superior one. Despite the differences highlighted in their respective observations, the similarities had been too eerie.

This changed things for you. Nevertheless annoyed by the misunderstanding, you were suddenly quite flattered that they each had praise for your character. They respected you as more than a worker. Then again, you thought, it was this idea of you that they had, those versions that they had fallen in love or lust with and some deluded relationship with. Aelin was surely getting a kick out of this. TeeArr’s absence was quite the blessing.

That thought led to another, specifically the nature of Kylo Ren’s flirting and what had inspired him to be so bold. Your cheeks began to grow warm with the realization that he had most likely been imagining you in compromising positions when the droid had mentioned the pornographic holovids. You averted your face and raised your hands to block your countenance from view. These actions silenced General Hux, who had been asking if you had truly been so oblivious to his affections. You could not focus on that. Instead you were thinking of the proposal that you had been working on for the physician therapy and anti procrastination droids. A chunk of the notes that you had typed up had been written with General Hux in mind as one of the audience members. Everything was falling apart.

You forced yourself to calm down by taking a deep breath and standing as straight as you could. “General Hux? Commander Ren?” The former nodded while the latter did not react at all. “Is this going to have an impact on the droid proposal? Or any of the other projects?”

General Hux opened his mouth to speak then paused and closed it. He thought for a moment before again opening his mouth. This time he did say, “I will recuse myself from the board for the proposal. It is not by any bias that I find the droids beneficial to the First Order. As for the project with Millicent, perhaps it would be misguided to continue work within my quarters. A new location will be set up for you to observe Millicent with the droid once it has undergone the basic tests.”

Both you and General Hux looked to Kylo Ren for his answer. “You are always welcome to my quarters. This changes nothing.” He had a way with making you blush, but you could not say that his words weren’t welcome. The awkwardness of this misunderstanding would have repercussions yet that did not have to include your job itself. You gave a nod of thanks rather than explicitly saying the words for fear that they would imply an acceptance of his invitation to his quarters.

The two men left together just as they had arrived together. Both glowering at the other. Walking with clenched fists. Their rivalry taking on another layer, this one more personal. You were not thrilled to be a part of that.

Aelin stood after the door to the room closed. You shot him a half-hearted glare before turning back to your datapad and reopening the file that you had been composing. You scratched the side of your head. It took only a minute for you to decide how best to phrase the proposal now that General Hux’s absence at the meeting was a certainty. Having Aelin’s backing for this project would hold more weight, and you were pleased that his desire to be a part of this had not wavered though he had witnessed what had just transpired. As you typed, you peeked over at the droid part that Aelin had been working on since before you had come. It was larger in size, and you recognized it now as being part of the body.

Millicent would miss you, you thought, and Eddard would not be oblivious to the fact that the two of you were no longer allowed to enter General Hux’s quarters. The gossip that you so loathed was about you. That would get out. Aelin did not have to utter a word for it to happen. The poor mood that you had been in earlier after the test returned tenfold.

General Hux had made you wear uncomfortable heels despite believing that the two of you were dating. Kylo Ren had been the one to conduct the test to check for flaws in your work ethics even though he was under the impression that you were his girlfriend. It might be that they did not allow their personal lives to interfere with their work, or it might be that they would make shitty boyfriends.

A small red circle of light drew you out of your thoughts. You looked up and over at Aelin. He grinned good naturedly and depressed the button that had activated the laser that Millicent would be able to play with when the TIE droid was finished. Dwelling on the negative was not going to do you any good. The present allowed you time to ignore that before others tried to make a greater mess of things.

“There will be other scandals,” Aelin assured you. “With this one, you might be in luck. Kylo Ren and General Hux do not seem the types to stand for this gossip taking over the lives of everyone here. It’s not good for business. It might, dare I say it, be something that can be used for the droid proposal.” You tilted your head in curiosity. “Procrastination can occur when one becomes more caught up in rumors that add nothing to the First Order. Use this situation to your advantage.” He was not wrong, and you decided that you were going to do exactly that.


	7. Retrospection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments! I added a little bit of flashback for those wanting to see Hux's actual dialogue. I appreciate you letting me know that this is something I should have added before, and I agree! <3

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “There are many things we only see clearly in retrospect.” - Haruki Murakami _

Seven: Retrospection

Being a programmer, one thing that you were good at was focusing on the small details. This sometimes happened during retrospection when pertaining to conversations. There were nights that you would obsess over lines of programming that you had to edit, that bothered you in the final project. Other times, when it came to the aforementioned conversations, you would fall asleep while replaying the scenes over and over in your mind. This more often than not resulted in your dreams having a rather playful spin on what had happened in reality or else gave a warped perspective of what  _ could _ happen in the future.

At this point, you were not quite asleep though you felt yourself teetering on the edge of consciousness. You wiggled your toes to try to jerk yourself back into wakefulness so that you were able to finish replaying what had occurred earlier in your head. You were specifically focused on how General Hux had described the moment he and Kylo Ren learned that their “girlfriend” was the same person.

_ General Hux had shot a glowering look in Kylo Ren’s direction before opening his mouth to reply to your request. “I was working on the damage report for the droids--the manufacturers will be reimbursing the cost, you can count on that--when Kylo Ren came to deliver the results of your test. Naturally I was unsurprised by your thoroughness. I stated as much, as I feel having a work-driven significant other holds many benefits. They understand the importance of their duty. Surprisingly, Ren agreed. He hadn’t believed we would see eye-to-eye on anything. I had not believed that he was intimate with anyone.” Kylo Ren started to curl his hands into fists as a means of controlling his temper. You caught the act out of the corner of your eye. _

_ “When he stated that he worked in close proximity with his...girlfriend…” General Hux wrinkled his nose in a display of distaste, as though he could hardly believe that anyone would be interested in Kylo Ren. “...I stated that mine also worked at my side whenever possible. That she was not using her position to further her career. It was something similar to his own relationship. His, according to Ren, did well under pressure. More than mine would. I doubted this given that you--that my significant other had been placed in his path before as well as had to deal with senators. _

_ “‘A coincidence,’ he had said. His worked with droids of multiple specialities. An odd coincidence, I thought, but said nothing. Instead I supplied that mine was the lead on many such projects. Discreet in showing her affection.” What? “Ren said that his girlfriend was less subtle, although she played it off by using her droid to help instigate things when in a more public venue.” No. That was just TeeArr being TeeArr. _

_ “The lady I was with enjoyed being pampered, receiving gifts. She would pretend to be shy when they were purchased. Use them when they arrived. Ren’s significant other did not like gifts. They would distract her from work.” Both of them were wrong in their own way. Not surprising given their delusions. _

You were jerked out of that particular memory as your mind wandered towards the slippers that General Hux had left for you in his quarters. They were still there as far as you knew, however you did not know if it would be rude to ask for them. He had believed you to be his girlfriend when he had bought them for you. You drew your legs up towards your stomach and reached down to feel your feet, which still had small blisters from the heeled shoes. Using the lotion now felt awkward despite the fact that General Hux had assured you that you could keep it. It was more that you could not help but wonder if he had ever expected to be the one to massage it into your feet. Such a thought gave you mixed feelings. On one hand, it was not an unappealing idea. On the other, you had never thought of him that way.

You had not thought of either of them that way until this past stretch of cycles.

Suddenly you felt more awake than tired. Your mind was starting to race over any action that you had performed while in their presence that would have led them to believe you were interested in them. You could admit to being more comfortable around them than others appeared to be. That stemmed from your job. It was part of your work to give proposals to the heads of organizations. You had done that before working for the First Order. The two men had hyper fixated on some of your character traits and ignored others. This had to be due to their limited socialization with others outside the workplace.

It made you feel like a surrogate for their feelings; romanced by proximity. You pinched the bridge of your nose as a pulsing began behind your eye. It was quickly becoming a pounding, the first sign of an oncoming headache due to stress.

_ “I pointed out that this could be indicative that the lady he was with did not want any physical tokens of affection that could be seen by others. It might well be detachment and their relationship was a matter of convenience.” Kylo Ren bristled at those words. You tried your best to not react, well aware that this had to have been the turning point in their conversation. Sure enough, things devolved rapidly into comparisons designed to shame the other. _

Maker above, you needed sleep. There were numerous projects for you to work on and going into a new day with little to no sleep would be idiotic. While you were not opposed to using sleeping aids, you would rather not due to the grogginess that persisted through the majority of the next cycle. In many ways that was just as bad as no sleep. You pressed three fingers on either side of your temple and started to slowly massage the areas. You then applied some pressure near the bridge of your nose then stroked outwards along the underneath of your eyes, hoping to ease any pressure that might be sinus related. Focusing on this instead of what had happened earlier was helping your mind to quiet.

In time, it must have worked to help lull you to sleep being that the next thing you knew TeeArr was prodding you with one of his fingers rouse you from your slumber. You waved a hand in the air to dismiss the droid. TeeArr knew you too well, however, and so insisted that you sit up before he left the bedside. It was with a groan that you complied. The droid was too persistent for you to not. Glowering, you thought of how much of TeeArr’s obstinance could work well in the anti-procrastination droids. General Hux would not find such fault with your protocol droid after that!

General Hux.

The name elicited a groan as what had happened the previous day came rolling forward like a tidal wave. It was much too early to deal with that particular headache. You readied yourself for the day. It had been agreed that you would not work on the training droids. A second programmer was being brought it; this was standard procedure, although you were more sensitive to it after having been tested. Captain Phasma had you working with a different series of droids for her stormtroopers during reconnaissance missions. Human error could occur no matter how well trained they were. These droids had to be basic. Easy for a stormtrooper to destroy if the situation called for it, but tough enough that the enemy could not damage them so easily. What this meant was proper shields and cloaking. Limited intelligence as well. Much like a typical probe droid. Captain Phasma wanted this droid to be less conspicuous than those. Smaller, you thought. Compact, possibly something that could be hidden in a small pack that a stormtrooper could carry. Lightweight.

Already you had managed to again distract yourself from matters pertaining to General Hux and Kylo Ren. TeeArr walked at your side in the direction of the mess hall. His current silence did not alarm you. He was often more at ease in the days following a cleaning. This was not an uncommon occurrence with droids and you had often reasoned that the same could be said for people of many species. What was striking you as odd in regards to TeeArr’s behavior was that normally while on the way to a project assigned by Captain Phasma, his metallic footfalls would be louder. TeeArr was making a visible effort to be less conspicuous, which you noticed each time you glanced his way.

“Do you know something that I don’t?” you teased. The droid’s servos twitched, a rather humanoid gesture that stemmed more from its ability to observe and learn than any programming you had done. It struck you just why you felt so fondly for this droid; he was something like a child to you, your child. That Kylo Ren had chosen to strike off a limb instead of destroying it outright  _ did _ have a greater meaning. He had managed to restrain himself in some capacity. A show of affection--a rather strange one that you did not know how to feel about. You sucked your lips into your mouth then allowed them to pop back into place. TeeArr had yet to answer your question. “TeeArr…” There was a warning growl that issued from you at the very end of the droid’s designation.

TeeArr set his optics on your face. “You are my Maker.” Cue you narrowing your eyes in equal amounts suspicion and confusion. “Should someone woo you, what does that make them to me?” This droid was most definitely like your child. The muscles in your arms jumped, your limbs beginning to shift towards TeeArr before you caught yourself. Offering TeeArr a hug of comfort in this public setting would draw more attention than what was already falling upon you. One of the stormtrooper pairs that were patrolling this sector had walked past, their helmets trained on you longer than was necessary. It was easier to convince yourself that this was because of your current company instead of whatever gossip had managed to spread.

“No one is wooing me, TeeArr. Don’t you worry about that.”

“Suppose they did,” he countered without missing a beat. You, having turned to resume walking, felt yourself faltering in your steps. The problem that you had with this conversation was not only that it was taking place in a public venue. It was that you had not considered entering a relationship any time soon. The workload on your plate was immense. If you absolutely wanted to, sure, you could balance a relationship and a career. You hadn’t wanted to though.  _ Didn’t _ , you thought with a scowl. You hated that realization was dawning that a part of you would not mind it.

With a barked out order for TeeArr to follow after you, you began to march on. Your heavy footsteps startled some of the officers, who stiffened and either hurried to get out of your way or else looked then relaxed as they saw it was you instead of someone else. Instead of Kylo Ren. You felt a scream bubbling up in your throat. Others had compared your work ethics to General Hux. That had been something you viewed as praise. Now, should anyone say as much, you would hate that they had spoken to you at all. Just the same as you disliked the similarities you had with Kylo Ren. The impact each of these had was not dissimilar to a sucker punch to the gut. You did not want to think about them.

It was with a great sense of relief that you sank down into the chair at the work desk that had been prepared for your arrival. The surface of the desk was littered with three separate datapads as well as two comm units, one holoprojector, and a thermos filled with hot tea. You knew that it was tarine tea by the smell of it. It was difficult to keep from staring at it. Your face was arranged in a visible battle of perplexity and wonderment. The tea might have been forgotten by another, that was not unheard of. Captain Phasma could have ordered it to be delivered as she was aware of what the assignment entailed--a full shift, for a start. It might be something from General Hux. that was the possibility that made your stomach roil. You felt then heard it churning and set a hand overtop it.

TeeArr wrapped his metallic phalanges around the thermos and lifted it to inspect the container. “I do not believe it is poisoned.” That made you smile. You felt the tug at the corners of your lips. Tension eased from your shoulders, which sank a fraction from their previously rigid posture. TeeArr extended his arm towards you; it was the one that had been replaced after Kylo Ren had severed the old one. You stared at the shiny metal limb while using both of your hands to cup the sides of the thermos and bring it down onto the desk directly in front of you. “You should drink it.”

The frustration that you had felt with the droid for reminding you of the situation you were in with Kylo Ren and General Hux dissipated. You felt it slowly melt away, flowing off of you and disappearing until you were left with the sense of peace that only solitude and your beloved droid could provide. You were grateful that it was the latter. With the anger gone, you recognized that you did not want to be alone. The fact that you had misread so much human behavior exhibited by General Hux and Kylo Ren had left you feeling less human. You could understand your droid better than you could them. Your droid. Your child that you had built. You extended one hand in offering. TeeArr studied your palm, lifted his servos, and poked the center of your hand with one of its digits.

He had not taken your hand as you had intended, but somehow that was better. That he could misunderstand human behavior just as much as you did made you know that you were not some anomaly. It was inexperience.

You withdrew your hand simultaneous to lifting up the thermos of tarine tea to your mouth and taking a sip. It was not too hot and did not burn your tongue. Its bitterness hit hard, which helped you to wake up more. TeeArr slid one of the datapads closer to you when you moved to reach for it. This particular device held many of the requisites that Captain Phasma had outlined since she had last spoken to you. She did not want the droid to have a self-destruct feature because that risked a malfunction or the droid erroneously calculating that self-destructing would be beneficial. Another sip of tea and you were scrolling through her other notes. They were brief, exact. Much like how she talked to others, which was not often from what you had observed.

The door to the room slid open. You were tilting back the thermos and allowing more of the liquid to slide smoothly into your mouth. Jerking your hand away, you instead splashed the tarine tea onto the front of your shirt. “Sir!” You scowled when you looked down at the wetness.

General Hux strode over to the desk. He picked up one of the comm units then held his hand out for the thermos. You felt yourself blushing as you relinquished your hold on his drink. His eyes were locked with yours. General Hux set the rim of the thermos at his mouth without blocking his lips. You watched his tongue skim the surface that your mouth had been on when you had drank. The heat in your face grew, as did the pounding of your heart. That tongue traced his lips next. And then it was gone, back in his mouth, which you could not stop staring at.

“Good day,” he said before uttering your name and leaving. You did not even have the chance to respond. That likely saved you from stuttering and further embarrassment.

After the door slid closed behind the redhead, TeeArr looked directly at you. “What he did with his tongue, I saw in one of the holovids that--”

You held up a hand. “Stop!” Kriff, you had thought it would be impossible to feel so hot, to feel like you were on fire. The thought of what else that tongue could do had already existed. TeeArr’s words only made it worse. You pressed your thighs together. Bounced both of your feet then regretted it, the friction of your thighs rubbing together sending a jolt of pleasure through your body. Straight to your cunt, which clenched. “You are not allowed to hand me a thermos ever again.”

“Is that an order?”

“Yes!” The pleasant mood that you had been in was wrecked once more. Except that you were not angry. You were aroused. You were frustrated. You were thinking of both General Hux and Kylo Ren in ways that you should not have been, in ways that they had thought of you.


	8. Perspective

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “If you convinced me and I convinced you, would there not still be two points of view?” - Richard Armour _

Eight: Perspective

For the sake of your sanity, you sent TeeArr away on errands at the middle of your work shift. The droid had prodded you with more questions pertaining to your relationships, or lack thereof, with both Kylo Ren and General Hux. Granted the inquiries had focused on how dynamics would affect him, you were not in any mood to consider them. The programming that Captain Phasma required was simple enough, but it also demanded your undivided attention. One wrong input of data and the droids would not function as they were intended. There was no way that you were going to allow that to happen. Even without lives on the line, you were meticulous with your work and you prided yourself on that.

TeeArr was not opposed to running errands and you knew that you could trust the droid to get the job done. He was to speak with Aelin regarding the TIE project for Millicent. You were requesting that the man swing by during one of his breaks so that the two of you could ensure the newly provided venue for testing was appropriate. This was something that you preferred to do face to face as opposed to over messages, largely due to wanting to make sure that both of you were on the same page. Misunderstandings over text were far too easy.

It was just as well that you had sent TeeArr away, because less than two hours after his departure there were the sounds of some telltale boot stomps coming from the other side of the door. You huffed out a sigh while quickly typing out the last few characters of the line of coding that you had been working on. You were just tapping the  _ save _ command when the door slid open. You slid the datapad that you had been typing on off to the side, crossed your arms in front of yourself, and looked up at Kylo Ren expectantly. He did not stop walking until he was directly across from you. The desk was quite likely the _ only _ thing keeping him from coming closer. You registered again just how tall the man was. It was not only his height that was so imposing either, but the manner in which he carried himself.

“Sir,” you said after waiting for him to speak first. This man was not one to waste precious time that could be utilized training or on a mission to speak with workers on a personal level. Even if he did think he was dating said worker. The silence in the room was heavy. You could feel it nearly choking you, which made you cough into a fist. “Sir?”

“You enjoyed his gifts.” An accusation despite the calmness in his voice. There was a threat behind it.  _ Do not tell me the truth, do not say anything, you cannot deny it. _ You struggled to bite your tongue. You had enjoyed the gifts from General Hux, this was true, however it had not been from any emotional attachment to the man that you had done so. Arguing that point would do you no good. “Frivolous things.”

On one hand, that might be so. On the other, your foot was healing more quickly from the blisters than if you had not been in possession of the lotion that General Hux had purchased for you. You squeezed your lips together more tightly in an effort to not speak. He was much harder to read than Hux, and you were currently not much of a fan of that mask he wore. Kylo gestured in the air with one hand, his fingers outstretched. That alone had you realizing that he was not as angry as you had believed. He uttered one more word: heels.

You considered it, what he was implying. General Hux had been the one to require that you were the heels to the meeting with the senator. As far as you could remember, Kylo Ren had never insisted that you do as such. Therefore the accusation was that General Hux treated you poorly in comparison to how Kylo himself treated you. You could understand his viewpoint, yet there was the fact that he had damaged TeeArr. You wanted to say this, but opted to hold your tongue. It was not as though  _ he _ had been any less delusional in thinking that the two of you were in a relationship.

Kylo Ren extended a hand towards you. You stared at the palm, which was face-up with nothing upon it. What were you supposed to do? You decided to mimic TeeArr’s previous actions by prodding the center with the tip of your finger. A quick glance at his face allowed you to witness him tilting his head to the side.

“The datapad.”

Slag! You wanted to bury your face behind your hands, however those were necessary to grab the device and hand it to Kylo Ren. He moved the datapad into his other hand, tapped on the screen and brought up the information that he had wanted. He then extended his hand again.

“Would you like to hold it?” Teasing you.

You snatched up one of the datatexts to occupy yourself with something to read. Anything to help rid yourself of this embarrassment and the fluttering feeling in your stomach upon realizing that you enjoyed the teasing. Both of these men were exasperating. Trying your patience. Testing your limits. You wanted to focus solely on work. Kylo Ren resumed scrolling meanwhile you read through a section of the text that highlighted the disadvantage of shield usage in droids. The majority of them dealt with more sentient droids like TeeArr. In the case of reconnaissance droids, the shields were recommended, albeit by remote control. You would have to discuss this with Captain Phasma. Remotes could be stolen or accidentally pressed.

Kylo Ren placed the datapad on the desk while giving the order that you make an extra droid with the same programming for the Knight of Ren to use. He was walking out of the room before you had a chance to answer. You had opened your mouth to utter a  _ yes, sir _ then closed it, your lips pressed into a thin line as you watched the door sliding closed behind his retreating form. It was meaningful to you that your work had grabbed Kylo Ren’s attention; this was not something he would order purely for sentimental reasons or to gain favor with you. You only wished that you knew more of the missions that the Knights would require the droid for. The Knights of Ren and stormtroopers had similar goals in assisting the Supreme Leader, however they accomplished this in differing ways. The shields might need to be stronger in the case of the Knights. Or the droid would need to ensure that whatever information it gathered, it encrypted more thoroughly.

Along with inputting more lines of programming into the datapad that you had been working with for the project, you opened up a similar system on a second datapad and duplicated the work prior to adding in some of those alterations that you wanted to toy with. It would not take the engineers much time at all to build two extra droids for Kylo Ren instead of a single one.

TeeArr returned from the errands that he had been sent on, and you gave him a list of still more work that needed tending to. The protocol droid was seemingly pleased. He exited the room without a single word of protest. You narrowed your eyes to watch TeeArr leave. Was he listening to more gossip? Had the gossip grown worse? What, exactly, was being said about you?

Grumbling to yourself, you slouched and resumed working with the two datapads. You were on a portion of the project for Captain Phasma that would not require alterations for what Kylo Ren had ordered. The second datapad you were using to make notes on the anti-procrastination and physical therapy droids. Namely you were focused on pinpointing precisely which portions of TeeArr’s programming would be cloned for the project. Language barriers were not often an issue in the First Order given that Basic was spoken regularly, no different than in many areas of the galaxy. If one of the officers or stormtroopers working with a physical therapy droid was in pain or in any sort of altered state, though, there was a chance that they would slip into their mother tongue. It would equally be necessary for the droid to be familiar with prescription medications, drug interactions, and basic medical jargon. TeeArr was not well-versed in these latter subjects, although you did know that he had become familiar with scenarios that required bacta and/or rest for recuperation.

Time was ticking on as you toiled away with your project. Only when your stomach growled did you realize that you had forgotten to instruct TeeArr to bring you lunch between the other errands that he was taking care of. You touched your abdomen with one hand, pouted, and continued to type one handed on the datapad. You were not at a point where you wanted to pause. Losing your place would inspire you to delete several lines in order to ensure that no mistakes were made. One wrong character would ruin everything and cause the droid’s basic systems to crash when a shield was raised. Stubbornness kept you from taking a break even after you finished that portion. You were in a groove. Your typing speed was at its best, and you were not going to walk away. Your stomach growled, protesting your decision, and you muttered under your breath for it to shut up.

Officers and technicians alike entered then exited the room on occasion. Not one of them interrupted your work and soon you tuned out their footsteps. A mouse droid bumped into your leg. That you did take notice of, shoving at it with your foot to send it on a different path. It was not common for them to make such an error, however it was not unheard of either. You tracked its movements via listening for if it crashed again or not. When it did for the third time, you grabbed your comm, calling for maintenance.

Warmth spread through you at the sight of Eddard. You had not wanted to deal with anyone else being in such close proximity while you worked until you knew how far the rumors had spread, however you found that you were genuinely happy to see this man. The tray of food that he brought along with him  _ might _ have played a role in supplying you with joy. He set the tray down on the desk, careful to not spill anything on the electronics, and headed over to the droid. The bag that he had slung across his shoulders dropped to the ground with a  _ thunk _ .

You grabbed for the sandwich whilst you tapped for the program to save what you had done. “Eddard… Just  _ how _ bad is it?” You nibbled on the edge of the sandwich, refusing to take a full bite until you received an answer. The food would be a choking hazard otherwise depending on what was said.

Eddard hit the droid’s switch, shutting it down, and sat cross legged before pulling the droid nearer to him. He reached into the bag for his tools. You assumed that he, like you, speculated that the droid’s sensor was malfunctioning or off track. “It’s not as bad as you might think.” He began to loosen one of the droid’s bolts. “People know it’s a programmer, but many don’t know it’s  _ you _ .” He twirled the tool in his hand. “I knew it was you because of the Millicent project.” You sank lower in your seat and took your first bite of the sandwich. “What’s been said is that some programmer is two-timing General Hux and Kylo Ren. Although pretty much all of us are baffled that someone would catch  _ both _ of their attention.”

Huffing, you decided to not answer that. It was a question that you had as well, although from what General Hux had told you regarding their conversation, you understood it to an extent. You were more bothered by the fact that the gossip surrounding this incident did not include the very important detail that you had not been dating either of them. After another bite, you said as much to Eddard. He lowered the hand that held the tool, which clinked noisily on the ground. That stung a bit. The expression of bewilderment on his face was not what you had even considered you would encounter.

“Look…” Maybe you had been wrong about him. Clearly you had been incorrect in your assumptions as to how your relationships with General Hux and Kylo Ren were. “Maybe--”

“Sorry.” Eddard shook his head. The expression had switched to one of panic. “I guess I assumed that they had, uh, asked you out?” You shook your head, throwing up both hands and almost fumbling with your sandwich. “Huh.”

You had an entire rant forming in your head that you were not going to get into. Partly because you did not want anyone else overhearing, and partly because some of the details were not anyone else’s business to include Eddard. The next bite that you took of your sandwich was larger than the ones that you had been taking. You chewed and glared at the wall. The very fact that Kylo Ren and General Hux had not once properly asked you out yet believed that you were in a relationship with them bothered you more than you could properly articulate. With General Hux, you were under the assumption that his inviting you to work in his quarters might have been his way of solidifying the relationship that was occurring in his head. For Kylo Ren, that you were not sure about. At all.

The drink that Eddard had brought for you proved to be one of the nutrition enhanced waters that you were not fond of. You scrunched up your nose, took a large swig, and swallowed. Eddard had his back to you when you drank so he missed the way you stuck out your tongue in distaste. The only way that he would have known whether or not you enjoyed the drink would have been had he asked or you told him. Likewise, if you wished to know what had led Kylo Ren and General Hux to believe that you were in a relationship with them, you had to ask. Your heart hiccuped at that thought. Your mind flashed to the way that General Hux had licked the rim of his thermos, had licked his lips. Thought, too, of Kylo Ren offering you access to his quarters then teasing you by offering his hand.

Speaking to them face to face about this matter was out of the question for the time being. You were unsure if you wanted to ask at all. The  _ wink-wink-nudge-nudge _ act that they might have taken as entering in a romantic relationship or partnership would skew how you perceived every action from them henceforth. Maker, you were already doing that. Second guessing. Growing apprehensive over the fact that eventually you would be in close proximity to them for an extended period. Not receiving the information could damage things as well, you realized.

Slaggit.

There were private channels that you had access to in order to speak with First Order superior officers in regards to projects that you were assigned to. The message that you would therefore be sending to General Hux would not be seen by any other eyes. Was this an abuse of the system? That was difficult to say considering it did have an impact on your working relationship with the man. You worked to be as polite as possible while also taking into consideration his personal feelings. This was a sensitive matter; asking how he could have believed that you were in a relationship was, in essence, hammering in the fact that you had not been, that you had been oblivious to his affections, that you had, in a way, rejected his advances.

The one thing that kept you from losing your nerve was that his behavior earlier showed that he was not uninterested in pursuing you. That meant that he  _ wanted _ you to understand him.

You sent the message and acknowledged to yourself that it might take him longer to respond than with work related matters. He might opt to speak with you in person when delivering his answer. What you wanted to do while you waited, aside from making more progress on the project for Captain Phasma and her stormtroopers, was to find a similar means of contacting Kylo Ren. He was not one to answer to summons from inferiors. When news was to reach him, generally some unfortunate soul, who drew the short straw, was sent to him by General Hux to deliver the information. There was a tracking beacon on Kylo Ren’s person somewhere, one that only a select few were able to utilize. This was to provide assistance and was not something to be abused, lest the idiot who did so face Kylo Ren’s wrath.

“I received notice that a new location for the TIE project has been selected,” Eddard said, drawing you out of your thoughts. You drummed your fingers on the desk and gave a hum of acknowledgment. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” you said quietly.  _ I could have asked Kylo earlier when he was here. Why didn’t I think of it then? _ You grabbed hold of the other half of your sandwich, eating it much quicker than you had consumed the first half. “Actually...do you know where the Commander is?” Eddard whipped around so fast that you wondered if he hurt himself doing so. You sighed and told a half-truth. “I need to speak with him about a droid request he made earlier.” Eddard was not sitting quite as rigidly now.

He patted the droid, which he had just finished putting back together. “I’ll send this fella to fetch him. It might take a bit.” You shrugged while nodding in agreement with this arrangement. It left you more time to wrap up what you needed to do. The one concern you had was that TeeArr would arrive before Kylo Ren did. 

You puffed up your cheeks as Eddard exited the room with the droid, which zoomed in the opposite direction than where he began to head. You seized your datapad and began to input commands for TeeArr to remain away until evening meal; he was to make observations in medbay regarding how droid and human physicians interacted with patients. You would watch these recordings later. It was different to  _ see _ how the programming for medical droids worked than to theorize how they were supposed to. It would narrow down what you could use for the new project. TeeArr sent an acknowledgement of the order.

Picking up one of the texts, you resumed reading a portion that you had started before. You were currently enrolled in a series of courses that would begin in less a month that would offer more knowledge on the engineering portion of droid design. You had built smaller droids in the past. Getting your hands on high grade materials was generally the issue. Not to mention weaponry. A droid such as TeeArr or even the physical therapy droids, those you could technically do. It would take some time, yes, and that was why you enjoyed having engineers on hand so that you could focus on the actual programming--that was your passion.

Stomping. For once, you were pleased to hear Kylo Ren stomping in your direction. You pushed aside your work and greeted him as he entered. “Hello, Com..man...der…” He was carrying the mouse droid. “Oh…”

“It crashed into me.”

You sighed, eyes running over the dent. At least he had kicked it instead of cutting it in half with his lightsaber. The downside was that this was programming error. “I’ll take care of it. First, though, if I could...ask you a question.” You furrowed your brow, having paused due to Kylo Ren walking completely inside and setting the damaged mouse droid on the desk in front of you. “Why did you think we were dating? When did you ask me out?”

“You propositioned me.” When? A strangled noise was warbled by the vocoder of his mask. Kylo Ren turned on his heel, curled his hands into fists, and started to stomp away. You had embarrassed him. Fan.Tast.Tic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slight delay. I switched things up in the chapter so that Kylo Ren appeared before Eddard instead of only after. We'll be getting into more flirtations from now on~


	9. Contact

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this being a day late. Had to fix a few things on it still since yesterday I was working to set up my queue on tumblr. I decided to begin posting this fic on there; until it's caught up, I'm only doing one chapter on it per day. Trying to catch TBT up on there as well.
> 
> I have a tentative drawing of the top half of TeeArr. After I mess with it a bit more, I'll post it on my tumblr and probably my instagram as well (as long as it doesn't crop it too much)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy~<3

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “What a grand  _

_ and beautiful force  _

_ the immense  _

_ and wildly underappreciated  _

_ power of  _

_ human touch.”  _

_ -Atticus _

Nine: Contact

The guilt that you felt was not solely due to the misunderstanding that had occurred; that is to say, you held Kylo Ren responsible for misconstruing whatever situation he had that had led him to believe that you were dating. You had not wanted to fluster or embarrass him though. The man did not socialize as many others did. Given that a misunderstanding  _ had _ occurred, you felt that you should have been more prepared that the ‘blame’ would fall on you. Being ill-prepared during the conversation and thus the result of him stomping away had left you wishing that you had rehearsed mentally prior to his arrival. Now you would have to approach him yet again, although first you wanted to work through more of specific past encounters so that you would be more mindful of your own behavior.

For the time being, you read a chapter of the text on droid engineering and finished the basic work on the project for Captain Phasma’s stormtroopers. You would have to make several alterations to the version that you would submit for the Knights of Ren. The plan that you had made was to do this an hour before bed, directly before your self-appointed wind-down period. TeeArr would first show you the observations that he had recorded, and you wanted a break before that occurred. The MSE series droid remained damaged, both with the dent from Kylo Ren’s boot and with whatever error was causing it to crash into people and things. All the same, you had decided to power it back on and had it follow you in the direction of your quarters. Already it had hit into your leg twice. The first bump had been light, barely noticeable. The second was going to bruise and had resulted in you swearing. It had also knocked you over, and a nearby officer had paused in his work to help you back to your feet.

All you wanted to do was bury your face in a pillow, scream, maybe cry, and take a nap. You were doubtful that you would fall asleep even if you tried. Plus it was likely to mess with your sleep schedule, which was already altered due to the stress of what had occurred. Paranoia that more First Order personnel would connect the gossip to you was not helping.

You stepped out of the way of the mouse droid, which would have hit your ankle, and scowled at it. This was the first time that you could say you understood why someone--in this case, Kylo Ren--would kick a droid. The difference was that you would not. Awareness that faulty programming was not the droid’s fault prevented you from taking out any of your frustrations on it for the damage it had already done to your body. You tracked its movements. The droid swerved towards the left, crashing into a wall, and righted itself. Better the wall than another person. Such as the technician that had stopped walking and watched the MSE droid with visible confusion. She asked if you wanted her to take care of the issue, to which you responded by shaking your head and mouthing a  _ no _ . You were not in a talkative mood. The headache that had threatened you earlier was returning with greater force.

The next technician to cross the droid’s path was not so lucky. Rounding a corner, they did not realize that the droid would swerve towards them. You watched with a pained expression as the man pitched forward and rolled into a sloppy somersault that ended with him on his back. The droid continued on, heading in the direction of your quarters. All witnesses were quick to shuffle out of its path. You walked over to the downed technician and offered your hand. He brushed it away, albeit gently and politely, and hoisted himself up. He swayed in place for a moment, his hand going to the back of his head, which had bumped the ground. There was no blood that you or he could see. There would, however, be an egg.

“A trip to medbay would be best. Would you like me to escort you?” There was no way that you were not going to offer. The droid would enter your quarters and power down. Or else someone would catch it. Kriff, you thought, you hoped that it did not trip anyone else. This was an offer that he did not turn down, although he had hesitated in accepting. You attributed this up to him being embarrassed. Not that there was any need for him to be. He had done nothing wrong.

The two of you walked to medbay with no incident aside from you having to help steer him towards a wall to steady himself. You winced whenever this occurred. The likelihood of a concussion existed, and a new sense of guilt nagged at you. Perhaps you should have repaired the droid before leaving the room. Carrying it had been out of the question. It was heavier, a testament to Kylo Ren’s strength. A physician was available immediately. This left you free to take your leave, which you promptly did and at last made it to your quarters where the culprit of the injury was waiting for you in its powered down state.

Would you make it through the work week without killing anyone? That was left to be seen.

You kicked off your shoes, used the side of your foot to nudge them out of the way, and squatted in front of the droid. It was quite the troublemaker. You sent a final order to TeeArr, this one for him to bring some medication for your headache on his way, and then started to work on the mouse droid. It ate up roughly a quarter of an hour, however you located the issue. One wrong character was all it took in its programming to have its sensors off. It had two blindspots that should not have existed since that one character rendered the entire section unusable. The droid’s system therefore ignored it completely. You wrapped up your work two minutes after TeeArr arrived. The protocol droid stood to your right and watched you.

Sniffing, you looked up at TeeArr to discover that along with the medication he had brought you a cup of tea that was still steaming. “Is this one actually mine this time?” you asked teasingly.

“Yes,” TeeArr said without a trace of hurt. “It is not tarine tea either.” You could feel the smile breaking out across your face. General Hux would not have found this amusing, would have considered it to be backtalk. As for Kylo Ren, it would have varied depending on his mood. As far as why you were thinking about them, you did know but strongly wished you that had not.

You accepted the two items from TeeArr, tossed the pills into your mouth, and took a drink of the tea. Winced as it burned your tongue, though it was not hot enough to leave lingering damage. You moved over to your bed, where you sat whilst instructing TeeArr to upload the recordings he had taken to your holopad. He connected with the unit without argument. This had not been the first time that he had carried out such a task. He proved time and again that he was reliable no matter how sassy he could be. You began to play the recording after TeeArr disconnected. Wincing, you lowered the volume. The medicine would not kick in for another five to fifteen minutes, and even then you did not know just how effective it would prove to be.

“They speak with the stormtroopers more than the officers,” TeeArr commented. You blinked prior to knitting your eyebrows towards one another. With a quick keystroke you rewound the recording and started the section again. Your droid had not been wrong. It was an observation that you were ashamed you had not made yourself without TeeArr’s prompting. You crossed your arms and chewed on your bottom lip. What should you do with such information?

This was a problem with being a contracted worker rather than having enlisted in the First Order itself. Your views did not always align with theirs and sometimes there was nothing that you could do. Stormtroopers were not ranked as being as important as officers despite the fact that it was stormtroopers that were on the frontlines. This was one of the reasons that you wanted to properly propose the new droids so that they were approved. Like you, the stormtroopers would be allowed to have contact with a droid that genuinely cared for them. It would learn about them. Part of it would be programming, yes, however clearly it would be a lot more nurturing than the humans that the stormtroopers encountered.

You tilted back your head and heaved out a sigh. The medical droids paid equal attention to the stormtroopers and officers on the recordings. It was only the humans that harbored any biases. This was one reason that you often found yourself enjoying droid company more than that of your organic peers. You remembered Kylo Ren commenting something similar along those lines one of the times that you had been assigned to work on a project for the Knights of Ren. It was the first and one of the only times that you had felt cheeky in his presence while asking if he found you so disagreeable while offering a grin.

A grin that might have been flirtatious if someone did not know you very well. You felt your stomach execute a sort of flip as you were launched into a string of memories. You replayed in your head how your interactions with Kylo Ren had indeed changed following that moment. The increased sense of ease you would feel despite his sour moods would have potentially added to the misconception that you had been flirting with him. All you had been attempting to do had been to break the ice, so to speak, with a man that you would be working alongside on several droid projects given that he utilized them in training and for his Knights.

Racing to meet with Kylo Ren for confirmation of your suspicions would worsen things for the both of you. Furthermore you wanted to run through the recording and make your first draft of notes for the project based on your observations. Already the bias stood out, although you would have to take care for how you presented that. If you could word things in a way that did not specify where the bias lay, it might not be negative. There was a chance that, unless someone dissected every portion, they would believe that you were speaking of bias based on mood or the relationships between officer and physician as opposed to the reality of the situation. This was a game of politics in your line of work that occasionally brought you stress, however you had grown accustomed to its existence and how to maneuver through such situations.

“Did you run into any issues today, TeeArr?” you asked as you restarted a portion of the recording to elaborate on behavior from the medical droid in your notes. Its attitude was very clinical, which was fine in medbay yet from a physical therapy standpoint might well be off putting or even discouraging. Coddling the officers and stormtroopers would not be something that the First Order would be interested in, so you would find a balance where that was concerned. By contrast, the less personable mannerisms might well do for the anti-procrastination droids.

TeeArr turned his head to consider you. “No. Why did you bring the droid to your quarters?” Your attention flicked briefly to the mouse droid then returned to your work. Droids were known to display behavior equivalent to the human emotion of jealousy. TeeArr had not been one to do so to the extent that it was ever a concern. In the past you dealt with other droids that had damaged the object of their envy. “Was it because of your headache?”

Ah. You appreciated the concern that TeeArr displayed for you. You looked directly at him, offering him your full attention as you would an organic. “That was part of it. I needed a change of scenery.” You brought the cup of tea to your mouth to take a sip of it. Paused as the warm liquid rolled over your tongue then you took a larger gulp of the beverage. The medication was working so that your headache had lessened into a dull throb that periodically presented itself when you started to stress. You set your hands on your shoulders and dug your fingers into the muscles, massaging out some knots that you felt pop under your ministrations.

Later you would need to observe the mouse droid after powering it back on in order to ensure that you had properly fixed the error. You were almost certain that you had. It was better to be safe than sorry, and already an officer had been sent to medbay so you were following this more firmly. You considered the dent on the droid. That was only cosmetic as far as you could tell, but it would need repairing regardless. Once you were assured that the droid functioned properly, you would pass it on to maintenance to buffer out the dent.

On that note, you found yourself sighing as the urge to speak with the one responsible for the dent again presented itself. It would be only too easy for you to shove the issue aside. Easy except for the headache, that dull throbbing worsening with each passing second. With a quick order for TeeArr to remain in your quarters, you rose from the bed and tugged your shoes on. There were two locations that you would check. If you failed to find him in either of those, you would return to your quarters, bury your face in your pillow, and scream.

One location that you would not check no matter how much you wished to speak with him was Kylo Ren’s quarters. That would invite another layer to the awkwardness that presently existed between the two of you. It was too intimate. The first spot that you headed for was one of the viewports that you had learned in your first month of working for the First Order that Kylo Ren sometimes stood by. He contemplated space, perhaps, or else found the area quiet given its low traffic. Upon arriving there, you noticed that it was just as empty as ever. The other thing to catch your eye was the mouse droid shaped dent on one of the trash bins. Now you knew where he had been earlier when the droid had fetched him. You allowed yourself to hope that this meant he would be in the other location you were inclined to search.

His ability to wield the Force separated Kylo Ren’s training needs from the officers and stormtroopers of the First Order. Though each individual could benefit from meditation, the form that Kylo Ren often utilized required a room that was built to withstand that power. It was an expense that Supreme Leader Snoke had been more than willing to cover. As for General Hux’s view on the matter, you did not know for certain however you strongly believed that he was less than thrilled. Which made perfect sense to you given the fact that Kylo Ren had destroyed and damaged First Order property during fits of rage. It was something that you did not look fondly upon either, namely after he had damaged TeeArr.

The hallways had an increased level of traffic between the two areas that thinned when you neared one or the other. Where this was common for the section that you had just left, it generally occurred in the second only when Kylo Ren was utilizing the room. You smiled to yourself at your luck and moved closer. There was an elliptical shaped window that stretched roughly half a meter in length. The lights were off in the room despite the indication on the control panel by the door showing that it was occupied. To interrupt the man would be a risk. You paused by the window not far from the door and squinted in an attempt to locate his silhouette.

Your leg muscles jumped at the sound of the door sliding open. You looked at it, found that Kylo Ren was not walking out, and determined that he had noticed you standing there. This was an invitation that you did feel comfortable accepting, albeit with the addition of you turning on the lights when you entered. The sigh that met your ears was not distorted by a vocoder. You ran your gaze along his face. He had such distinct features, his lips and nose among them, however you had a tendency to look at his eyes or else, when his hair shifted out of the way, his ears. This time you looked at each of those for less than a second before dropping your attention to his bare torso. That was enough proof that his body was as solid as it looked even when he was dressed. The muscles bespoke of his training.

“You aren’t here to stare at me.” His voice was calm, indifferent. There was a lack of humor that caused you pause. You had been walking closer to him, enough that the door had closed behind you, and now you wondered if you should not have remained in the doorway. Kylo Ren had failed to rise from his position on the floor, where he sat cross legged with his hands resting on his knees. He raked his eyes from your toes up to your face. “You can come closer.”

You decided to again accept the offer he extended you. When you were within two feet of him, you lowered into a similar sitting position. “It was when I asked if you enjoyed my company. Right?” His lips parted for the briefest of seconds but if he said anything it would have been a single syllable and it was one that you did not hear. Kylo Ren closed his eyes. You waited, frowning a few seconds later when he did not reopen them. “While those in the First Order fear you, that fear will not stop them from talking about  _ me _ because of this misunderstanding. This is not something I would ever have wanted.”

Here he did reopen his eyes. You drank in their brown color, how fierce they were. Fierce but not in a cruel or angry way. There was an underlying softness that you interpreted as his understanding where you were coming from and accepting that you had not intentionally embarrassed him.

“After realizing that others do not interact with you as I did...as I do, I mean, I should have approached you or reevaluated the impact that could have.” As you spoke, you realized that you meant the words. You could accept responsibility for your actions while acknowledging the fact that General Hux and Kylo Ren were guilty of their own parts.

“Should I put on a shirt?” That, on the other hand, threw you for a loop. “You keep looking at my body.” You had not realized it. Now that he pointed it out, though, you were doing it more frequently. Sithspawn, you were frustrated with yourself and with that tendency organics had when a behavior was highlighted.

His hands shifted off of his knees and wrapped around your upper arms by your shoulders. You did not shrink from his touch. Staying perfectly still, you lowered your eyelids to stare at those plump lips, which drew nearer and nearer to yours. Let your eyes close as his mouth met yours. You turned your head, returning the kiss. Felt the warmth of his skin on your fingers as you traced his stomach. The muscles were firm, not yielding so willingly under your touch. You kissed him again. Trailed one hand upwards over his chest and to the back of his neck. For all the stars in the sky, you could not say what had compelled you to kiss him back as you were. That did not eliminate the sense that this was right, that you were drawn to him in this moment. Having worked days on end with durasteel, with wires, with computer programming, there was something so raw and pure about the flesh you touched. You scooted up onto your knees in unison with him, your chest pressed against his.

Kylo Ren ran a hand along your ass then squeezed the area, albeit not too harshly. You gave a light groan at the pleasure that shot through you. Broke away from the next kiss to breathe. His lips were on yours again, his tongue toying with yours.

“Am I misunderstanding the situation?” he asked, teasing you, speaking against your mouth so that his warm breath crawled along your lips.

You felt your eyelashes fluttering. Were aware that this close proximity had been mutual. “I don’t even understand the situation,” you admitted. Kylo Ren released a grunt of acknowledgement. His hand trailed up and down your neck, thumb caressing your skin. You slipped one of your hands between your face and his to press your fingers against your mouth. Kylo Ren kissed your knuckles. Those eyes were heated now. Not with anger; you did not know how you felt, were trying to wrap your head around what was happening. His hunger was palpable. “I have a headache.” He looked at your forehead as if he could see the pain and discomfort that was once more making itself known to you. His hold on you loosened.

This was a part of Kylo Ren’s personality and character that you had discovered early on you respected. He was very aware of his body and its needs, and he appeared to respect those who worked to understand themselves as well. This included mentally as well as physically.

You extricated yourself from him without causing any offense. Leaving the room was not a necessity. Kylo Ren returned to his previous sitting position, and you, after scooting backwards an extra foot, mirrored him. The phantom sensation of his lips on yours prompted you suck your lips into your mouth and run your tongue along them.

Was it really so bad that he had misconstrued your behavior to the extent that he had when you yourself were now unsure of what you wanted? It was not quite such an easy question. Compounding that issue was the addition of General Hux doing the same. You conjured up his face in your mind’s eye. Recalled his tongue running along the rim of his thermos, and now thought of kissing him as you had kissed Kylo Ren. You turned your hand so that its side obscured your mouth from Kylo Ren’s view. He was watching you closely. Could he read your thoughts without extending his hand towards your head? Could you be projecting them? Or maybe, just maybe, everything was written on your face clear as day.

“I have to get back to work,” you said, shooting up to your feet. This was too much for you, and you were not ashamed to admit that. “I…” You paused while thinking of how best to word things so as to not offend him. “I do not know if I am programmed for this.” Maybe not the best phrasing.  _ You _ knew what you meant. Kylo Ren, on the other hand, furrowed his brow. You gestured towards him with both of your hands. “That was very nice, sir, however I have several projects that need my attention. A proposal to make as well.”

“I propose that you come closer.” He tilted back his head a fraction, jutting his chin forward and making it very clear his meaning. Your eyes danced along those lips. You shuddered at the recent memory of how soft they were. Soft yet so firm, so in control. So demanding.

You ran your hands along your shirt at your sides. Felt yourself clenching your jaw now that you had been placed in a position to reject him. This was not what you had wanted. It was serving as a means of adding more confusion and tension. The throbbing was becoming a pounding. Maker, your headache nearly disappeared on a conscious level when he had been kissing you. Kylo Ren stood. You eyed his chest and stomach. You had not wanted to look him in the eye. This was hardly an improvement. When he reached for you this time, it was again with both hands but he did not grab hold of your arms. He rested his hands on either side of your head and swiped his thumbs along your eyes, directly underneath them and following your sinuses outwards. His thumbs jumped, set again near the bridge of your nose, repeated the path. You closed your eyes and let him touch you.

General Hux had offered you the lotion to help ease your discomfort from a situation he had placed you in. Kylo Ren was now doing the same. How could you reject him? It would be hypocritical, right? Not exactly. Not now that you were aware of their affections.

Kylo Ren used his middle and ring fingers to rub circles on your temple. His hands traveled towards the back of your neck. You felt yourself relaxing more and more with his touch. The tension was ebbing even if it was not disappearing completely.

“We aren’t programmed so differently, you and I,” he said as he pulled away. Your eyes snapped back open. Kylo Ren turned around, his back to you, and walked in the direction of where he had left his shirt and outer robes along with his helmet. He began to dress. It was as though he was there alone.

That was a kindness rather than a cruelty. It allowed you to leave, but not before you offered him a very weak, croaked out, “Thank you.” You did not turn off the light as you exited the room and headed for your quarters.


	10. Confusion

**Error: Program Not Found**

_“Mixed feelings, like mixed drinks, are a confusion to the soul.” - George Carman_

Ten: Confusion

Aside from droids, you were particularly fond of spending time with a rather specific furry individual that sauntered up to you with a flick of her tail. You grinned without looking up from the datapad you had been working with. The latest testrun for the TIE droid had gone smoothly though it was not quite ready for Millicent to be present while it was in the room. Her owner was set to arrive in a quarter of an hour. That was a meeting you were continuously preparing yourself for. You had not spent any alone time with either Kylo Ren or General Hux since the incident in the training room. The presentation for the project was looming with its date set. Eddard had been with you much of the past few days, although he was currently wrapped up in another assignment and thus could not be there with you at the moment. Aelin, too, was working on a different project. You had half a shift this cycle and the time to clock out was fast approaching.

You extended a hand towards Millicent, who brushed her head against the tips of your fingers. TeeArr was running tests with the MSE droid that you had decided to take under your wing following its malfunction. Other personnel did not want to touch it beyond playing their role in repairs. You were quite happy with this arrangement. Millicent purred more loudly whilst kneading the ground under her paws. You scratched her ear, prompting her to lean her head more firmly against your hand.

With a rather loud sigh, you set aside the datapad and laid down on your back. Your knees were bent, arms stretched above your head. Millicent climbed atop your stomach and began to knead that area in the same way that she had the floor. Her claws dipped into the material of your uniform but did not dig into your flesh. She watched your face between closing her eyes and offering quiet meows of delight. General Hux had spent less time with her this week than the previous. Work was getting in the way. You wanted to finish the TIE project more as you observed this sweet feline. No one deserved to be so lonely.

“I wonder if TeeArr would enjoy visiting you.” It was not the same as having her owner with her, but it was something more than what she was getting, right? You cupped her head with both of your hands. “You are so sweet.”

The door to the room shifted open as Millicent was hunkering down into a lying position. She tensed, her claws once more biting into your shirt, and sprang upwards the next moment. You released an _oof_ as she used your stomach to spring forward. Her reaction alone was enough to inform you of the identity of the entrant. His voice merely confirmed things when he greeted you by name. You sat up and started to rise, pausing only when General Hux held up a hand. You stared at the palm. Next you looked past it at his face. Millicent brushed against him, some of her fur clinging to the legs of his pants. He would have to use the lint brush that was by the door when he left to return to work.

In the meanwhile, he was unconcerned with the ginger strands that stood out in great contrast to the black of his uniform. General Hux stepped around Millicent to get closer to you. She was undeterred, following along after him and standing on her hind legs when he squatted in front of you. You swallowed thickly. It was strange to him in this position, though it was one you would have expected from Kylo Ren. Perhaps that was precisely why it was more strange to you. General Hux was a rigid man. He prided himself on maintaining appearances. To squat like this, it could be viewed as unbecoming, namely given the fact that he was in uniform--but when was he not?

“Is it disagreeable for you to work alongside me?” he asked. The question caught you off guard, which meant that you did not have an immediate answer for it. You studied Millicent instead. She headbutted General Hux’s arm, tapped it with her paw, headbutted him again. He reached over to stroke her head with his other hand. His fingers curved under her chin. “Should proximity become an issue, I will see to it that other arrangements are made.”

His words themselves were not surprising to you. He had responded to the message you had sent him questioning what had led him to believe that the pair of you had been in a relationship. Your reply to that? A simple _Thank you_ and nothing more. You had not wanted to leave him hanging by giving no response to the message, and your intention had been to follow that up with something more after you had had time to process his explanation. Kylo Ren’s kisses complicated that. The reminder of how intimate it had been, for General Hux, to invite you to his quarters as he had, that complicated it as well. You had taken for granted that he did not trust so easily.

“I do not feel it is an issue,” you said. He grunted in response. It was difficult to tell if it was skepticism that brought this out of him. Or disagreement; mayhaps he wanted _you_ to claim that it was an issue because it was one for him. His message had outlined your comfortability in his presence and how you had spoken in ways that had been more casual than a professional relationship entailed. On more than a single occasion General Hux had asked if you would enjoy joining him for a meal. You had misconstrued that as being strictly amongst co-workers. Not an invitation to a more intimate relationship. You had not stopped to ask his feelings on the matter, and you were not going to make that same mistake. “Is it awkward for you?”

His hand paused, fingers no longer stroking along Millicent’s chin. She rubbed her head back and forth to force the connection then lightly nipped the tip of his finger. “Your avoidance is, yes.” Fair enough. “It offered the impression that you not only feel differently, you are uncomfortable with my inter...misinterpretations of our relationship.”

“I mean. In a way I am uncomfortable with it, but not because it is you or that I am not flattered you view me in such a light.” You sputtered near the end, your mind catching up to your mouth. General Hux tilted his head to one side. His fingers resumed their movement, stroking Millicent. You pinched the bridge of your nose. Counted in your head to twelve while ticking off aspects of TeeArr’s programming that you would be presenting for the project. Work helped to calm you in the face of personal life. “The two of you being more open about flirting with me has changed things.”

General Hux removed his hand from Millicent and slipped two fingers under your chin instead. He tilted your head so that you were meeting him eye to eye. You waited for him to kiss you just as Kylo Ren had. Waited as his face drew nearer to yours. His mouth, those soft lips caressing yours and sending a tingling sensation down your spine. It clicked only as you kissed him that _you_ had moved closer, not him. He did not push you away, however, and instead moved his hand so that he cupped your cheek.You leaned into his touch while kissing him again. Felt his tongue shift along your lips, move with yours. You could taste the tarine tea he had recently drank.

A pitched _meow!_ made you jump in place, startling you out of the moment. You looked at Millicent, who was quickly picked up by General Hux. He tucked her into his lap then kissed you again. You sighed at the feel of him. Grabbed for his shoulders, wound your arms behind his neck. Your fingers danced along his hair, which was softer than it had looked. Though kept in place with product, it yielded under the weight of your touch. He had a sort of cinnamon smell to him. It would not be unsurprising if you learned that he added some to his tea. You dug your fingers into his hair without caring if you messed it up. In truth, you wanted to see him in a more relaxed state, with his hair out of place. Wanted to catch a glimpse of vulnerability that you would have in the past missed.

“Changed things?” he asked against your lips as the two of you parted for air.

You pulled backwards and ran a hand along the top of your head. It had been less complicated for you to work with these men when you had been oblivious to their feelings as well as your own. The craving that you had for human touch spiked each time that you were with them now. You wracked your brain in an attempt to discover the best way to explain this to him. It was not easy when you had to admit budding feelings for not only him but Kylo Ren as well. The connection you felt with each was different even where there were similarities.

General Hux scooped Millicent up into his arms and cradled her against his chest. More of her fur clung to his uniform, and at such a rate that you wondered how often he had to use a lint brush.

“My function here in the First Order is to provide superior programming and droids that assist in fulfilling tasks to further the First Order’s goals.” You were using your hands to speak, gesturing with both of them in a downwards direction as though you were cutting into some invisible object or else sectioning off multiple items. “Prior to the revelation that you both believed we were in a relationship, I was capable of maintaining complete focus on my work.” Another chopping motion then swiping your left hand away from the right. “The revelation has resulted in gossip that has, in some respects, died down or else deviated enough from truth that I can ignore it. That being said, the flirtatious behaviors, toned down though they may be, from you and Kylo Ren are making it quite clear that I was the rumored ‘cheating significant other’.

“That alone poses a distraction from my work, namely where I am completing projects with others more interested in gossip than fulfilling their tasks. On top of that, in terms of personal life, I…” You paused to allow yourself time to think. How to word this? You did not want to reject them completely. You could not use the argument that this was not in your programming. Kylo Ren had refuted that far too easily, and you were under no misconception that General Hux would be any less eloquent in his disagreement. “My personal life should not interfere with my work life. The two of you are my superiors. Yet I am not unaffected by the flirting.” His lips quirked to the side. “I respect both of you.”

“And you are attracted to both of us as well.” It was somehow easier to hear it come from him instead of spilling from your mouth. To confess it with your voice was a different sort of acceptance. “Your projects will not be accepted or rejected based on who you flirt with.”

You snorted at that. It was not how politics worked, and the First Order was riddled with politics. This was a political war! The intention behind his words was what kept you from verbally countering him. He wanted you to feel that your work was valued based on its own merit. Life, however, did not consistently follow these views. You did not want to be forced to deal with the further complications that would arise should you enter a relationship with either General Hux or Kylo Ren. It did not matter how right their lips felt against yours.

“A droid should only have a single Master,” you said, the words slipping off your tongue more quickly than you had intended.

General Hux stood and stared down at you. Millicent curled into the crook of his arm, her eyes closed as she purred louder and louder when he stroked her fur. You returned his gaze. He was not moving to speak nor was he walking towards the door. He pet Millicent from head to mid back then returned his hand to her head again. It clicked that he was not following with your analogy. You had not been trying to insinuate that you were a droid, despite all your talks of programming. Nor that you would refer to a romantic partner as _Master_ \--well, most likely not. Rolling your eyes, you stood as well and stretched your arms behind your back whilst huffing out a sigh and shaking your head.

Millicent rolled part way onto her side, and General Hux tapped the silver identification tag that was affixed to her collar. Your attention dropped down to the accessory. That was another take on one being a _master_. You ran your fingers back and forth on your throat thrice before realizing what you were doing. Dropping the limb, you turned your face away so that you did not have to see General Hux’s amused smirk.

“Master,” he repeated. Stars, you were ill equipped for social situations. He reached for the collar of your shirt, tugging at it so that it was stretched in place. His fingers swerved upwards to toy with the area of flesh that you had previously touched. “Hmm.” He leaned forward, and you remained perfectly still, your legs locking in place. It was a wonder that you did not sway or pitch forward. You held your breath in anticipation of what was to come. Millicent’s fur clung to your shirt. You felt her roll in General Hux’s arm and press her paws to your chest. General Hux flicked his tongue along your throat before he sealed his lips around the moistened area. You gasped, tilted back your head to allow him better access.

Teeth grazed the surface without pressure being added. You waited for it, though, to be bitten. For him to nip at your flesh. Instead he flattened his tongue there. You pressed closer, Millicent digging her claws into your shirt. You could feel them on your skin. Sharp and threatening to draw out tiny droplets of blood. General Hux puckered his lips. This kiss was lighter than the previous. A small pinch on your throat. You shuddered, feeling a sort of crawling sensation up and down your spine as he let up on the pressure only to gently bite you a second time. With a grunt, he pulled away, his hand touching you, thumb swiping the area he had just assaulted.

“It should not leave a mark,” he said under his breath. You furrowed your brow before remembering the strict regulations. A hickey atop the collar of your shirt would not have been wise even if you had not been dealing with gossip. General Hux took a step backwards only for both of you to hear a snag. Where Millicent had dug her claws you now sported a small hole through which your bra was readily visible. It was not large, just a glimpse. Yet it was there and it had you scowling. “Ah, apologies.”

You prodded. “It happens.” This was not the first shirt that Millicent had damaged and you doubted that it would be the last due to your work with her. _Oh, Stars, he was just kissing you._ The realization hit and your hand stilled. These two men were confusing you. Why had you kissed both of them? You pinched together two sides of the hole. “I kissed him.” You waited for him to react. Anything more than the nod he gave, the silent acceptance that did not precede anger or disappointment, at least not any outward signs of such. “You guys go from arguing about your imaginary girlfriends that turns out to be the same imaginary girlfriend to now not caring that you have both succeeded in kissing the object of your affection that is the same person.”

You were frantically gesturing with your hands, clapping them together at one point and bending your fingers like claws at another. You were increasingly doubtful that you would be able to follow along with their logic. It failed to match up with itself. Rivalry and anger should remain rivalry and anger when the source was the same. There were limited variables between the first and the second portion of this equation. This was not working and there was no way for you to fix it.

“What is wrong with your coding!” you shouted, thrusting your hands in General Hux’s direction so that he stepped back. Millicent arched her back, growling in startlement.

You snatched your belongings from off the floor and marched out of the room. Halfway down the hall, you growled in frustration and turned around. Your stomping could rival Kylo Ren’s. Jabbing a finger into the control panel, you growled another time while pushing into the room before the door was fully open. General Hux had not budged an inch from where you had left him. He had, however, brought Millicent nearer to his face and was repeatedly kissing the top of her head as she rubbed against him. She paused when she caught sight of you. Ducked, her ears drawing backwards though they did not completely flatten.

“There is an upcoming assignment that involves close proximity, correct?” His questions were falling into place, and you were plenty grateful to have work to focus on even if it included General Hux. He answered in the affirmative. “Is it going to delay the project proposal or, should it be approved, progress on it?”

General Hux replaced Millicent on the ground. She scampered away towards the bowl of food and water that had been previously set out for her while she was in the room. “The inferior droids that we were given has prompted an investigation into other materials as well as a change in supplier. It has been ordered by Supreme Leader Snoke that a team be present for the meeting. Aelin and Kylo Ren will be accompanying me--us, should you choose to come--as well as three others.” Meaning that the materials would be used in projects beyond what you had a hand in.

“Strictly business. No personal matters interfering.”

“Correct.” You gave a sharp nod. “Ah. TeeArr is not invited.” That was not something that you had wanted to hear. “Our senator friend may make an appearance. I do not trust him to keep his lips sealed should he see the droid. He will bring up the TR8-0R series, jeopardizing it and us.” This was the only explanation that did not annoy you. Not that you would have been able to protest regardless.


	11. Golden

** Error: Program Not Found **

_“The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” - Eden Phillpotts_

Eleven: Golden

Eddard was entrusted with caring for TeeArr during the meeting with the First Order supplier. He was one of the few you knew for a fact would be capable of handling the droid’s personality quirks without it interfering with his duties. As for the MSE droid, you had temporarily disabled it until your return. This was the safest route given its glitches and previous programming errors. Along with General Hux, Kylo Ren, Aelin, and you, the three other members to join were among the top in their fields. It did not escape your notice that Captain Phasma was absent and that there was not a representative for the stormtroopers. The issues regarding subpar equipment that the stormtroopers faced were near identical enough to what Kylo Ren and First Order officers had dealt with. Thus their presence would have been redundant. Regardless there were a handful of stormtrooper guards that were assigned to the ship and officers, although this was nothing different than what was to be expected.

The ride on the Command Shuttle had been somber, limited conversation passing amongst the group. Kylo Ren did not utter a single word, whereas General Hux confirmed that you were comfortable in your seat before speaking with the officer seated on his left. Aelin dozed off and on. He leaned his head on your shoulder during sleep, an action that caused you to smile and relax as well. Though you did not lose consciousness, you were able to get ample rest and thus feel refreshed once the Command Shuttle had landed on the planet’s surface.

Four humans met the entourage that you were a part of to offer salutations from their superiors prior to providing the location of the rooms that had been made ready for the duration of the stay. There were two or three beds per room aside from the two single-bed accommodations that were naturally for General Hux and Kylo Ren. Aelin was quick in offering for you to bunk with him. Grateful for this, you accepted with a smile and headed with him towards the room while one of the four humans--they had not given their names--led you once more. It was unnecessary and, in your opinion, bothersome that you were not allowed to walk alone. The rooms all shared a common area that was secluded from the remainder of the building and wherein all members of the First Order could speak.

_It likely has surveillance,_ you thought, lips pinching together at the sense of violation that rolled through you. Properly private communications would take place via messages on datapads, although this could well be accomplished in the common room to offer body language as an additional form of communication.

“Do you think they will charge us for room service?” Aelin asked after his stomach growled rather noisily. You blinked while considering his question. Those hosting the meeting were being generous with providing a place to stay without charging the First Order; they were buttering you all up, however you sincerely doubted that they would spend more credits than necessary to secure the deal. This was about profit.

You shrugged. “I would ask General Hux if food has entered any of their discussions.” Aelin gave an exaggerated sigh that had you rolling your eyes and shaking your head. He could be theatrically dramatic when he wanted.

After you deposited the bag that you had brought with you for the duration of your stay on the floor by the bedside table, you knelt in front of it and began to rummage through your belongings. This setting allowed one to dress in nonstandard clothing while not in the meeting. There was no way that you were going to give up the chance; it was a rare occurrence since you had started working for the First Order. You selected a shirt and lounge bottoms, bundling them into your arms and then walking into the bathroom to change. Aelin had already plopped down on the bed he would be using for the stay. He had discovered a menu on the small round dining table that was tucked off in a corner of the room. You trusted him to learn if food was to be included as well as pick a location to eat if it was not.

Once dressed, you settled down on your bed with your datapad, which had been blinking to indicate a new message. Aelin was working on acquiring more information regarding food since thus far he had been offered mixed messages. He left the room just as you rested your head against the bed’s headboard. Your fingers worked quickly on typing in the passcode for your device; you had added this as a precaution now that you were on planet and away from the increased security offered by the First Order when on their bases or ships. The majority of your project notes were locked away with your other possessions rather than being brought to this planet. When the message was brought it, the sender was anonymous. You furrowed your brow at that. Few possessed your contact information on the server.

With a roll of your shoulders, you decided to play along with whoever had sent the message upon reading its contents.

_[There is time to play between work hours. Can you guess my favorite beverage?]_

Your tongue flicked along your lips, wetting them, and you narrowed your eyes while contemplating your answer. If this was General Hux, it would be tarine tea. If it was Kylo Ren, you were unsure. Worse, if it was someone else completely, you did not want to participate in this game. You toyed with your lips, pinching them between three fingers, tapping them, and at last releasing them. A light clucking noise issued forth as you pushed your tongue against the roof of your mouth. There was no reason that you had to give an immediate answer, however you were curious just how swiftly the individual would respond in turn.

_[I was debating catching up on some R &R between work hours. A pop quiz may not fall into that category.]_

It was not an outright rejection and should serve its purpose of deterring the individual from contacting you further unless they were serious. In which case your belief that either General Hux or Kylo Ren were behind this would be more substantiated. There was no shying away from the thrill that developed at the thought of flirtatiously messaging with either of those men. You were more in your element over the messaging system, more in control, and the ability to duck out of it should things prove too intense was less awkward than dismissing yourself when face to face. The relaxed atmosphere of the planet, of this room that you were sharing with Aelin, further allowed you to feel at ease with this idea. You found yourself dreading proof that it was neither General Hux or Kylo Ren that had messaged you.

Aelin called through on your comm unit while you waited for a reply. The sound of its chime had caused your limbs to jerk towards your stomach, and you rolled your eyes as you recovered from having been startled. “Still unsure if food is included and I’m famished. I’ll bring back something for the both of us. You can pitch in for breakfast.”

“That sounds just fine,” you replied whilst tapping your finger against your datapad. Another message had come in, albeit from a different sender. In place of _Anonymous_ the sender was _Unknown_. You squinted. “What is the most popular beverage on this planet?” There was a pregnant pause before Aelin offered the response of a tea that was made from an indiginous fruit. “Would you mind bringing me one?” There was no question as to why you wanted it, only an affirmation that he would purchase the drink if it was readily available wherever he went for food.

Disconnecting from the conversation on the comm link, you brought up the message from the new sender. It was similar in tone to the one from _Anonymous_ , and you considered that they might be one person rather than two.

_[Our hosts have ensured periods of idleness. How shall we indulge ourselves?]_

It would not be difficult to copy the message that you had sent to _Anonymous_ as the reply fit this message as well. The idea that it was lazy prevented you from resorting to that. You were touchy on such matters ever since you had to endure being tested by Kylo Ren when it came to the training droids. Bitterness threatened to flood through your veins at the memory, and you shoved those thoughts aside, opting to instead focus on the message and what reply you would compose. It would have to be similar to the previous one, you thought. Not an outright rejection, but also not something completely warm and inviting. You puckered your lips forward into a sort of fish-faced expression while beginning to type.

_[The lapses in work offer opportunities for rest and brainstorming. Responding to questions is not high on my list of activities.]_

You bit down on your bottom lip. That text was rather rude in tone. You debated deleting it then shrugged and sent the message. Not two seconds later you received a new message from _Anonymous_.

_[Forgive me, I had not realized that I would be intruding on your rest.]_

The line was afforded a sarcastic tone in your mind as you read it through twice. It was suggestive of either man still, which did frustrate you. They were similar but different. This was another motivation for engaging at all; your conflict could be settled with interactions that had nothing to do with work. There was no risk of kissing them, of them kissing you. Your next response would have to be a little warmer unless you wanted the individual on the other side to end communications.

_[There is a high probability that I am hangry, which leads to increased irritability when questioned on beverages. The most popular drink on this planet is a fruit tea, did you know that?]_

You clicked the send button and preempted the incoming reply from _Unknown_ by immediately afterwards returning to the inbox.

_[What if the inquiries revolve around the projects that have you brainstorming?]_

This individual was tenacious and not easily swayed. It was nice, you thought. You needed someone who could deal with you on good days and bad. Your workload oftentimes increased without proper notice, and as such you were stretched thin mentally and emotionally. Until recently, you had never snapped at either General Hux or Kylo Ren. That would have been entirely unprofessional. Perhaps suicidal in the case of Kylo Ren. You suppressed a giggle at the thought; it had been an electrifying experience in the training room that day. Your lips tingled at the memory. Next your throat as your mind conjured up the other man that had recently kissed you.

_[That might be helpful. What if all projects aren’t work related?]_

You curled your toes at the thought of potential responses to that. As time dragged on you were realizing that you wanted to flirt more openly with Kylo Ren and General Hux on this messaging system. You wanted them to say something that would take your breath away. You could reciprocate here where you were safely hidden behind a screen. Maybe the two of them realized that already. Perhaps that was why they had reached out in this way. It _was_ them, wasn’t it? The idea that it was anyone else made your stomach churn. If it was, though, you could pretend. How stupid would that be, you thought as you again rolled your eyes. You did not want anyone to catfish you. Did not want to emotionally open up in this way only to be hurt.

The responses arrived at nearly the same time as one another. You stared at them in the inbox without opening either. Was the same man--person in general--behind both accounts? If was the two of them, separately, messaging you, which did you prefer? Enjoying both was such a problem. You shoved away that negative line of thinking and opened both messages, each taking up half the screen.

_A: [Yes, I had heard. The tea itself is said to be rather sweet. Is that something you prefer?]_

_U: [Are any of the non-work related projects to do with self-improvement? Your physicality, perhaps.]_

Two very different responses that were both flirtatious in your opinion. You glanced at your comm link then the chrono that was in the room. Aelin could return at any moment. Your mouth watered at the thought of food. You did not salivate any less upon looking once more at the messages. You readjusted your posture so that the screen of your datapad was not easily visible to anyone who might come through the door.

_To A: [I will, hopefully, learn soon enough if it is something I prefer. Are you opposed to sweets?]_

_To U: [Should I be offended that you find my body in need of improvements?]_

Your heart stuttered in your chest at the thought of how they might respond. The questions you posed would hopefully assist you in determining which man was which. You were under the assumption that _Anonymous_ was General Hux and _Unknown_ was Kylo Ren. That being said, you clearly had a skewed perception of how they interacted with others given that you had not known they considered themselves in a relationship with you. It would be just your luck to have their identities swapped.

_A: [I am not opposed to them, nor do I seek them out. I eat to sustain myself. If you recall, the First Order is not rich in food beyond basic provisions.]_

_U: [I was leading into the benefits of sex.]_

Your jaw dropped as you read the reply from _Unknown_. This individual was a lot more forthcoming than you had believed either of them would be. Heat seeped into your cheeks, and you found yourself pressing your legs together. How far were you willing to go with these chats? At one point in time you had been engaged in a long distance relationship. Sexting, masturbating over video and/or voice chats, you had done it.

_To A: [I will have to indulge quite a bit on this trip between meetings then.]_

_To U: [That is quite forward of you. I am less concerned about insult than I was before.]_

The next message you received was voice-based from Aelin to inform you that he was waiting for the food to be prepared. The delay in his return would be approximately half an hour. Your heart stuttered in your chest here. Licking your lips, you decided to not wait for a response from either sender. Some might consider your behavior scandalous. It hardly mattered when they proved that they would gossip no matter your true actions or intentions. There was no way you were going to let that stop you from enjoying yourself here.

_To A: [If you were able to have your way with me, what would you do?]_

_To U: [What position would you want me in during sex?]_

It felt like all air had been siphoned from your lungs the minute both of those messages were sent. A shiver ran down your spine. This was not regret so much as anticipation. You waited with bated breath for the answers. Each second that ticked by drove you insane. It was counting down the time you had left until Aelin showed up. Maybe counting the minutes then hours that you received no response at all. Would you get written up? Be rightfully accused of abusing the messaging system?

_A: [I would restrain your arms behind your back while you were on your knees, my cock in your mouth.]_ You slipped under the covers, bending your knees and parting your legs, to give you some form of privacy should Aelin enter before you were done. Your fingers danced along the hem of your bottoms. _[I would fuck your mouth, but I wouldn’t cum in it. I would shove you onto your back, keep your arms pinned. Open up that tight cunt of yours with my fingers and tongue. Taste how wet I make you.]_ Swallowing thickly, you slid two fingers along your slit, feeling your body responding to the words you were reading as much as your own touch. _[Then I’d fuck you so hard you would barely be able to stand. You’ll feel so empty when I’m not inside of you.]_

“Fuck.” You dragged your juices up towards your clit, circling it, letting it slip away from your touch before pinning it between two fingers.

_U: [Bent over the table so that I can fuck you while those annoying senators and businessmen watch. You’ll be an incoherent mess as you cum on my cock.]_

The second message had been shorter, yes, but it had given you as vivid an image as the first. You closed your eyes while picturing both scenarios. Moving back and forth between the two. General Hux restraining your wrists with a belt, his cock down your throat as you moaned around him.

You moved your fingers into yourself, thrusting them slowly, curling and uncurling just the tips.

Next it was Kylo Ren using the Force to keep your arms in place. You would be completely unable to move as he held onto your head with both of his hands and pounded into your mouth.

You added a third finger while imagining, in alteration, the two men bended you over the table during the meeting. All faces were blurs, the very idea almost too much for you though it made you hot all over. Arousal flooded through you in electrifying waves. You slid your other hand under the sheets to toy with your clit without removing the first from inside your cunt. You fucked yourself harder, picturing them. Their thick cocks inside of you, your walls clenching around them. Words of praise spilling from your lips in sloppy, incoherent whines. You gasped aloud, rolling onto your front, onto your knees, and burying your face into your pillow, your fingers moving faster and faster. You could feel yourself growing closer. Could feel the scream of pleasure that threatened to erupt.

Darkness crept along the corners of your vision, your eyelids fluttering repeatedly as the dam of pleasure broke and you spilled around your fingers. You moaned loudly into your pillow then bit down on it. Muffled yourself as best you could, riding out your orgasm, rocking your fingers against your clit to prolong it. Your body trembled at the additional stimulation. All the while your mind kept the pictures of General Hux and Kylo Ren fucking you playing and replaying. The memories of how their mouths felt on you. You collapsed against the mattress, rolled onto your side. Curled enough to locate your datapad, which continued to display both messages. It also showed the time. Aelin would be returning any minute.

Feeling only partially satisfied, you went into the bathroom to clean yourself up. After returning to the room, you lifted your datapad and typed out a quick message that you copied and pasted for both.

_[Thank you. I needed that.]_

The heat in your body had not fully abated when you exited out of the messaging center. There was no more time to recover, however; you could hear Aelin’s footsteps on the other side of the door. Could smell the delicious food that he had brought with him. You hoped that _Anonymous_ and _Unknown_ would send you more messages while you were on the planet for the meeting.


	12. Confirmation

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” - Dolly Parton _

Twelve: Confirmation

Aelin had proven himself to be quite indecisive when selecting the meals he would bring. The delay for his return was better explained as you beheld the seven cartons--three of which happened to contain complete meals in themselves while the other four possessed entrees or sides suitable for multiple people. Alongside the fruit tea there was a bottle of water that had been thrown in for free. Aelin had chosen to give the water to you considering he already had three other drinks for himself; another of the fruit tea though this one with added mnt, an extra large thermos filled with strong brewed caf, and some carbonated beverage that had its name written in foreign script. Your eyes darted along each of the food boxes. How in the blazes had he carried it all? This was an inquiry where, the second after you had thought it, you were grateful to not have spoken. There were occasions you forgot about stormtroopers and that certain planets, while not having slaves, kept the use of hired help for mundane tasks.

You sank down onto the chair opposite Aelin’s at the presently overcrowded small table. Your datapad and comlink both remained on the bed you had chosen. It was with a thrill you remembered the messages from  _ Anonymous _ and  _ Unknown _ . Biting the insides of your cheeks, you grabbed hold of your tea and dragged it closer. The pleasurable tingling within refused to leave. Your orgasm had delivered a sort of high that periodically robbed you of the ability to breathe. Aelin had already questioned you twice despite having only returned eight minutes ago. His eyes once more roamed your face in search of some undisclosed malady. You met his gaze whilst lifting the tea towards your mouth and taking the first drink.

The sweet flavor of the fruit mingled well with the spices of the blend. It rolled along your tongue. Caused the flesh of your arms to blossom in light bumps. The tea was much different than Tarine tea, and you found yourself wondering how General Hux would react to its flavor. Was this something he would hate? Likewise, did Kylo Ren avoid sweets?

“Should we ask if anyone else is hungry?” Thoughts of a similarly large order of food at breakfast time lessened your appetite and made your wallet scream in terror. Aelin popped open the container nearest to him without looking at you. The man was not rude, or at least you could not recall a time that he had treated you in a manner that had left any bitter feelings. Your attention darted to the door. “You didn’t.”

The noise he made was noncommittal, however it was quite clear that he had indeed invited General Hux and Kylo Ren for food. You slouched in your seat and scowled at the man. It was not as though Aelin was privy to the fact that you had--hopefully--just been messaging the two men prior to his arrival. That you had masturbated to messages they had sent you. The buzz that you had been experiencing since masturbating at long last waned. Footsteps on the other side of the door drew nearer. Aelin stood from his seat, walked over to the door, and opened it before there was time for the men on the other side to knock. You gave a quick look at Kylo Ren and General Hux then returned your eyes to the food on the table. Both men had drinks in their hands.

The lack of proper seating in the room had you wondering why you had suggested inviting others at all along with whether or not this was something the three men had already considered. There were no stormtroopers bringing in more chairs. You seized hold of your two drinks and dragged them to the bedside table. Shoved at your datapad and comlink until they were underneath your pillow. Kylo Ren and General Hux walked past. You felt their gazes trail along you. The hammering of your heart increased in intensity, the pounding echoing in your ears. The timing was absolutely dreadful! Had Aelin invited them before he had returned? It would explain some of the food.

_ He should have told me. _ It took great effort to refrain from scowling. Your superiors settled into the seats that were at the table. Aelin, too, had been grabbing his drinks to shift them over to his own bedside table. You caught his eye while your back was to General Hux and Kylo Ren. Aelin’s bottom lip protruded forward a fraction when you glowered at him. These were not your first choice of dinner guests, at least not this evening.

“Mm. Is the tea any good then?” General Hux might have been saking either you or Aelin--perhaps both even--for an opinion on the beverage. Given that Aelin had mint in his, it would make sense that, if he knew, General Hux was indeed asking for both opinions. Your mind nevertheless flashed to the messages that you had sent. Had that been to General Hux or Kylo Ren?

Aelin grunted while pulling a disposable plastic plate out from one of the bags that had been set beside the cartons of food. “It’s crisp.” He ran his tongue along his lips, thought a moment, and continued. “Depending where you order, they will add more spices. I kept it simple with mint.” He gestured towards you with his thumb and uttered your name. “She has the regular blend.”

General Hux transferred his attention onto you. Somehow you managed to keep from shrinking under his gaze. “How is it?” You were listening for any underlying teasing. Noticed the way Kylo Ren shifted in his seat. A subtle change of the position of his shoulders. You shrugged and muttered out a light  _ fine _ . “Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes.” Clipped. Now Kylo Ren did turn around with his torso and head to look directly at you. You mentally fought for a way to remedy the situation. Eyes darted about the cartons of food. The gloved hands of the two men. Oh! “You should wash your hands.” General Hux looked down at his leather glove. “Those are probably dirty. Take them off. If we are sharing food, I…”  _ Are you ordering around your superiors? _ You clucked your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Waited for Kylo Ren to tease you, to state that you were being a nagging girlfriend or something of the like.

Kylo Ren opened the smaller carton that was beside his drink, which he had placed on the table after sitting. Gloved fingers dipped into the folds of the next carton, parting them. A third. He opened each carton of food despite the look of exasperation that General Hux shot him. Ignored entirely the way Aelin’s eyebrows rose and yours knitted towards one another in a glare more potent than the one you had shot Aelin. If it had been General Hux and Kylo Ren you had been messaging, you were more convinced that Kylo Ren had been the one to send you the fantasy regarding fucking you in front of senators. Maker, why did that still excite you when he was being like this?

“Do you think I’m dirty?” There it was. There was the verbal teasing that irked you while also causing a delectable shiver to run along your spine. The way his mask's vocoder warbled his voice was undeniable enticing.

Not a one of you responded to him with words. General Hux chose to react in a different manner. He raised his left hand so that its back was to Kylo Ren then pinched the leather at the tip of his middle finger and began to pull. The glove slowly slid off his hand, revealing the pale flesh that lay beneath. He repeated the actions with the second glove. Placed both, one atop the other, on the corner of the table and then rose to make his way to the bathroom sink to wash his hands. Kylo Ren’s visor was pointed at the gloves. You could not help but wonder if he was considering obliging your request--demand--as General Hux was doing. A sort of pissing contest that you could most definitely get behind.

While the water audibly ran, Kylo Ren lifted his hands to his helmet and released its latches. Though you had seen his face on other occasions, you could not help but stare as he revealed it again. Aelin, on the other hand, did not look in Kylo Ren’s direction. He was more focused on loading his plate up with food. General Hux returned to the room and began to act similarly. You watched them make their selections. Aelin had a good balance of vegetables and proteins. General Hux stuck with the more bland foods, grabbing carbs more than anything else. Though he had opened all of the cartons, Kylo Ren did not make a move to dish himself up the food.

You stepped closer. The aroma of food was reminding you just how hungry you were. Saliva gathered in your mouth and you promptly swallowed around nothing to rid yourself of some lest you begin drooling. You lifted up the final two plates that had been provided. Kylo Ren blinked when you slid the second in front of him. General Hux, too, paused as he noticed. He settled back into the chair, which was the one that Aelin had sat in when you had occupied the other. Their reactions had you unsure how to proceed. Were you being too comfortable with Kylo Ren? Too nurturing?

“Is the senator here?” you asked, the desire to make some form of conversation overwhelming. You did not want to stay in your head too much. The day thus far had been enjoyable despite hiccups.

Kylo Ren responded instead of General Hux. “I was not aware that a pop quiz would occur during our meal.”

His words stole your breath away and caused your heart to skip a beat. Had Kylo Ren been  _ Anonymous _ ? Was this a mere coincidence? You stared at his face in search of an answer yet found none. Your attention wavered only when General Hux spoke to inform you that he had not yet received confirmation one way or the other in regards to the senator’s presence. With that said, Aelin had extended an invitation for General Hux and Kylo Ren to join the two of you for a meal in order to help prepare for that possibility. Again did your mind flash to the two fantasies that you had received. It would be far less appealing a thing if that specific senator was one of the audience members.

You started to load up your plate as Aelin’s voice drew you out of your head. He was concerned that the senator would leak not only the potential TR8-0R project but the others that he had helped to finance as well. You scowled at the thought. There were those that would not harm the First Order if they were leaked. Others were a huge security risk. Furthermore it was the idea that these suppliers would pull out of negotiations that made your stomach drop. You did not wish for faulty droids and materials like what you had recently dealt with. Kylo Ren lifted one of the containers after everyone had grabbed from it and dumped the remainder on his plate. The sauce spread, pooling along the edges and kept from spilling by the rim of the plate. More than half of this particular food had remained. General Hux huffed out a sigh.

“Do you think he has run his mouth with others?” you asked, choosing to ignore Kylo Ren’s obvious adoration for the single dish. Aelin hummed in thought. General Hux’s nostrils flared. “We gave enough information that he might attempt to recruit a different team and finance them. For his personal use.”

Kylo Ren stabbed his fork into the food then twirled, wrapping the noodles and string-cut vegetables around the prongs. “Aelin wondered the same thing.” You still wished that he would have voiced these concerns to you prior to inviting your superiors, however you did better understand his motivations. It was likely a spur of the moment thing. “Considering you were the one to offer the details, it would be wise for you to approach the senator in private regarding the project. I don’t care if you have to lie to him.” He observed you through narrowed eyes.

Your mind worked through what you might say to the senator when and if this meeting took place. It was imperative to convince him that the details needed to remain under wraps as well as give nudges so that he would reveal himself for any potential traitorous behavior committed since the previous meeting. You backed up towards the bed and sat down on its edge. The plate of food you had put together was placed beside your drinks on the bedside table.

Aelin and General Hux were speaking with one another; you heard their voices without listening to their words. Kylo Ren’s gaze was focused on them though he did not join the conversation in full. He chose to instead begin eating. You watched him chew his food. The way his jaw moved, how his lips puckered a little before each bite. Stress melted off of you. His gentle glare had not been to admonish you. If Kylo Ren did not trust you to complete the task, he would not give it to you. Maker, the senator would die before you were sent to some hopeless mission. Which meant, you thought, Kylo Ren had likely sensed that you had done something when you had received his message. Had he used the Force to spy on you?

Surprisingly, you were not opposed to the idea in this particular context. The next time you were alone, that was something to add to your fantasy. Imagining Kylo Ren knowing  _ exactly _ what you were doing to yourself. He paused in chewing. Looked at you.  _ Oh, kriff. _ You turned, both hands seizing the plate and dragging it closer to the edge of the table so that you could reach it more easily. You took your first bite. Your teeth gnashed together on the food as a sudden pressure caressed your inner thigh.  _ What else can he do with the Force? _ You pressed your legs together, resumed chewing, and swallowed.

As you turned again, you caught his eye. A smirk crawled along his face, one that disappeared a fraction of a second later as General Hux looked up from his discussion with Aelin. You were almost certain that he missed the expression. “Though the project is tentative, I would encourage you to mention the physical assistant droids. That may work in our favor.” You understood his meaning. Droids that could work beyond war had a tendency to bring in notable discounts from some suppliers. Long term business, long term profit. On top of that, this increased the likelihood that the project would be officially approved by the First Order. General Hux was handing you a rather tantalizing gift. Between it and the caress of the Force, you had to admit to yourself that you were feeling another wave of desire for both men.

“Yes, sir,” you said, allowing yourself to smile and take another bite. The corners of Kylo Ren’s eyes pinched in amusement. Maker, you just  _ knew _ he was in your head. Another caress, this one shifting along your knee then trailing upwards. You could better imagine what Kylo Ren would be capable of doing to you in front of the senators and businessmen at the meeting if he wanted to. As that thought crossed your mind, you realized that General Hux, too, was observing your every reaction.  _ Are they working together in this? _ It seemed ludicrous to you, to be frank. More plausible was the idea that General Hux was taking notes in order to one-up Kylo Ren later.  _ I hope. _ The thought was shameless, but who were you to continue denying yourself? You grabbed your tea and extended your arm so that the cup was held in offering to General Hux. “Would you like to try it?”

It seemed that he was in agreement with you over readily indulging. He walked over to you, gently holding onto your wrist and taking a sip while his eyes were locked with yours. His features contorted and he pulled back. You burst out with a single laugh before you could stop yourself. It appeared that he was not a fan of the sweetness of the tea.  _ At least he didn’t spit it back. _ You pulled the drink back towards yourself then paused, looking over at Kylo Ren. You took a sip with the thought that he might be more apt to accept the offer if your lips were the last to have touched the surface. For a second time you extended your arm.

Kylo Ren rose from his seat and grabbed the drink from you. A part of you was disappointed that he did not mimic General Hux’s actions in full. You would have loved to have his large hand wrapped around your wrist. To be able to look directly into his eyes while observing his reaction to the tea. He took a swift drink, keeping the liquid in his mouth even as he handed the cup back to you. You found that you were holding your breath. Did he like it? His throat visibly bobbed as he swallowed.

“Mm. I needed that.” Fuck your face was impossibly hot and the rest of your body was following suit. Stomach and cunt both clenching. Damn it! The audible, shaky breath from General Hux only intensified these sensations. That was all the confirmation you needed; they were, in fact,  _ Anonymous  _ and  _ Unknown _ , and you were most definitely going to be messaging them again later.


	13. Inspirational

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize; this chapter is late. I was only planning to take one week off.

** Error: Program Not Found **

_“You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.” - George Bernard Shaw_

Thirteen: Inspirational

The senator’s arrival had managed to squash your otherwise good mood, and it was the knowledge that you would not be required to approach him until the following morning that kept you from feeling utterly miserable. That as well as the messages that had been delivered to your inbox by _Anonymous_ and _Unknown_. You worked to unveil which of the identities was Kylo Ren and which was General Hux to no avail. Their similarities were more pronounced in their writing than when conversing with either man in person. This was to be expected given how the written word worked. Droids became less individualized when you were staring at their lines of coding; it was the limitation of relying on the surface of things, the absence of body language to highlight the quirks and unspoken thoughts. Kylo Ren and General Hux were closed off, private, mistrustful.

Both had sent word of the senator having come to the planet, which led you to believe that they were not in league with one another--unless they were trying to throw you off their scent. It was difficult for you to picture them collaborating together on something of this nature, except in the case where they would make it into a competition. Your lips quirked to the side at that thought. There was something primal about two men fighting over you that made you feel desirable. A little like a piece of meat as well, a sort of trophy. The lack of physical damage to one another saved you from disliking the position you were in. To top it off, it was better to focus on them than your impending interactions with the senator. You still had to determine which aspects of the physical therapy droids that you wanted to share. Leaking too much information could very well result in your idea being stolen.

With a sigh, you settled back against the pillow and opened one of the new messages that were waiting for you in the inbox. Stress melted away from you with revelation that the message itself was little more than a picture; underneath it was the title of the painting. It was from a local artist that, from what you could recall, was growing in prominence. Depicted was a female humanoid so concealed in luxurious silks and gems that you could not properly note her species. Only her eyes stuck out, lovely things that they were. You were drawn to peer into those depths, which were lifelike. Your breath stilled in your chest as you scanned the entire painting to appreciate all its details. The sender of this message had been _Unknown_ , and you wondered how best to respond to him. It might be that he was a connoisseur of arts or else this one piece had somehow managed to catch his attention.

You debated for a few moments longer before typing up a line of gratitude that preceded a question as to whether he enjoyed many paintings and, if so, who his favorite artist was. It did not matter the identity of the man at that point; you simply wished to know more about him, what it was that had led him to enjoy the painting enough to send it to you.

After clicking send on your response to the painting, you returned to the inbox and opened a new message from _Anonymous_. This correspondence was entirely text-based yet no less artistic.

_To stand upon the hightest tower of Coruscant,_

_You will miss the brightest land verdant;_

_The durasteel walls tighten like a cage around you,_

_Unlike the open halls found on Naboo;_

_Yet across the skies that they share are the stars above,_

_Here I pray, though apart, you feel my love._

You discovered that your mind was piecing together popular images from both planets and arranging them so that they stood in juxtaposition to each other. The fields of Naboo that Coruscant could not boast, the fresh air of the former planet as well. Yet Coruscant had its own beauty amongst those durasteel towers and the pollutants that was known to partner itself with city life. Loveliness in the chaos. You pictured two lonely souls staring up into the sky. Each person on a different planet, longing for more, for one another. A sadness threatened to creep over you. What if, in the end, the two lovers did not meet?

Shaking your head, you shoved aside that line of negative thinking then grunted in response to Aelin asking if you were fine. He was laying on his bed with both hands atop his stomach. If not for his presence, you might have ventured to pursue a different topic of conversation with the two men messaging you. It had been awkward enough during the last portion of your meal when it had dawned on you that the sexually charged flirtations had occurred in front of Aelin. For his part, he had ignored it as much as he could.

You chewed on your bottom lip as you started your reply to the poem. Though it had instilled a sense of melancholy, the hopefulness of the words had stuck out as well and left you with an appreciation of the piece. Like with the painting, you wondered what it was about the poem that had caught the sender’s attention and also if they read poetry on a more regular basis. The message read similar to the one that you had sent to _Unknown_ , with necessary changes to better suit the poem.

You rather enjoyed that the two men held an interest in the arts in some form or another. It set aside the role they played in the looming war that would break out once the First Order was in a better position to take charge. This more human face that you could glimpse behind the safety of a screen helped you to feel less alone. The knowledge that hidden parts within each person were held private for a reason; it reminded you of the droids you had worked on. Lines of code that most would never see despite their importance in the grand scheme of things. Those lines aided in dictating what actions the individual would commit to.

“You’re smiling again,” Aelin muttered, not unkindly. You rolled your eyes though you felt your grin widening in spite of the audience you had obtained with the expression. “Is it work related? I’m curious.”

“No, it is not work related,” you said, turning your head and meeting his gaze. His countenance betrayed nothing if he was suspicious of your actions beyond idle curiosity. The decision to alter the course of the conversation before that had a chance to change prompted: "Do you think I should include mentions of the anti procrastination droids as well?"

Aelin's features twisted, contorting and scrunching as he considered the question. There was merit in revealing that a variety of projects were underway; the senator might be more apt to provide more credits. On the reverse, it spiraled back to ideas being stolen and also could result in him pushing to discuss _all_ projects to include the assassination droids. You half wished that TeeArr was present to aid in distracting the senator despite being fully aware that he would have had the complete opposite effect. While he was continuing to internally debate, you heard the tell-tale sounds of two messages arriving, one a few seconds after the first.

Though you had messaged him second, _Anonymous_ had been the first one to send a reply. You opened it without reading. Aelin had begun to speak at that same moment. “I would hold onto that information in case he presses to talk about the assassination droids after you’ve already spoken of the physical therapy ones. Gives you another means of changing the subject and putting emphasis on this particular project since it encompasses both droids.” He stifled a yawn with one hand. “Mm. Do you mind if I watch a holodrama?”

“Thank you,” you said. “And no--go right ahead. I won’t bother me.” You quite welcomed the distraction that Aelin would be offered by the holodrama, whichever one he happened to select. This gave you a semblance of privacy, a lower risk of him noticing the way your expressions altered as you read the messages you received.

The program Aelin selected was older and you were vaguely familiar with the storyline though you had not watched it yourself. Once he was more immersed in that, you returned your attention to the datapad in your hand and the message displayed thereupon.

_Anonymous:_ _[It is an older poem that I was taught as a part of my education. The senator may be familiar with it should you require material necessary to dissuade him from lingering too long on droids as a subject matter. He will enjoy hearing himself talk.]_

For another time you felt your face breaking out into a smile that was filled to the brim with amusement. He had only half answered your questions, however you were not disappointed. It was thoughtful for him to have done this, and truth be told you had not considered going this route with the senator. This was not entirely surprising given the fact that you had not had much experience one-on-one interacting with senators or other politicians for that matter. Such business was conducted in larger groups, not dissimilar to when you presented potential projects to the Board at the First Order.

Music filtered into your musings as the holodrama Aelin watched droned on. Instead of responding to the message from _Anonymous_ , you switched over to the reply that _Unknown_ had sent.

_Unknown: [Do you know the story behind this painting?]_

Once more, not a proper reply to the questions that you had sent. With a shrug, you composed a brief message stating that you did not along with a nudge that you were now more curious about it. After sending this, you returned to the message from _Anonymous_ to thank him for being considerate and attentive to your needs.

_Unknown: [The artist stated that she is a spectre, a ghost from his past that he saw on three separate occasions. The night before his mother’s passing. A day after his childhood friend left the planet and never returned. The final occurrence was during his graduation from school.]_

You stared at the message without reacting for a beat. Then your eyes narrowed and you found yourself unsure if this meant the woman was an omen for tragedy or success. Was she just some figment of the artist’s imagination. No matter the case, it hit you that _Unknown_ truly was, at least somewhat, invested in this particular painting. To know its history as he did, to have the desire to share it. That was personal. You set aside your datapad and laid down while staring up at the ceiling. These men were going to give you an existential crisis.

After dozing off for a stretch, you quietly slipped off the bed and entered the bathroom with a bundle of fresh clothing to ensure that you looked more presentable when meeting with the senator. The reflection in the mirror showed subtle signs of exhaustion, albeit nothing beyond what was expected with how life had been proceeding. You wanted to get a headstart on the man you were to meet with as a means of gaining the upper hand. Part of that included taking care of your basic needs before he was out of bed. Prior to exiting the room, you checked your datapad for any new messages yet found nothing of note. Aelin was lightly snoring, nothing obnoxious or that would have wakened you had you not already been up and moving.

One the items on your to-do list was to purchase food for breakfast given the fact that you had already agreed to do so. Aelin had already given his order, which you had memorized, and you were willing to pay the extra credits to have the meal delivered at a specified time. You grabbed something small for yourself as well. It had been dark out when you had first left the building in which you were staying; one of the stormtroopers escorted you, and the two of you watched the sunrise in a shared silence. You were not yet sure if the stormtrooper would remain with you once you encountered the senator. A part of you did not mind the idea. Another part of you knew that it would be more difficult to make the meeting seem happenstance instead of premeditated. In the end you did not have to worry; returning indoors had been enough for the stormtrooper to break away from you and resume his previous post.

The lull in activity offered the opportunity to digest the fact that neither _Anonymous_ nor _Unknown_ had sent more messages. You took into consideration the fact that they might have been aiming to not overwhelm you since the both of them were aware of the senator. Plus, you thought after a second, Aelin’s presence might deter them. You smiled a little at that, recalling the thrill you had felt when racing against the clock as you masturbated. Their behavior during the meal was just as exhilarating. Your mind began to race through scenarios wherein you found yourself alone with one of them. Would they kiss you? With no one watching, would they touch you? Your face heated up at the memory of the message that had been sent regarding you being fucked in front of others during the meeting.

What if both of them had you? One of them inside of your cunt and the other in your mouth? “Ah!” You yelped out a swear at the sound. Turning, you spotted the speaker. The senator was escorted by one of his guards and accompanied by a single advisor. The small entourage caused you to inwardly groan. This was something that you had expected, however it did not make you any less annoyed; having the senator one-on-one would be less taxing. “I did not mean to startle you.” There was a slight purr to his voice that you had heard in the past whenever he felt he was in control of the situation. This, naturally, put you into the exact position you wanted to be in: on his good side.

You placed a hand over your chest to feign a more exaggerated rattled state than what you were truly in. “Sorry, I did not mean to swear like that.” The best way to go about this conversation was to rely predominantly on truths. He shook his head and took a step nearer to you. “I was hoping to find you, actually.” You worked through ways to seem submissive simultaneous to taking charge. The man’s advisor was frowning, his eyes pinched halfway closed as he glowered at you in suspicion. You jerked your gaze away from his then chewed on your bottom lip before speaking again. “It stuck with me, your interest in the... _thing_ we discussed in the previous meeting.”

“Oh?”

“Mm,” you hummed with a nod. “That one is a bit ways off, what with needing proper programming and trial periods. I hope that is not disappointing.” The senator and advisor shared a look. His guard was generally unresponsive to anything that did not involve fulfilling his duty. This was enough to increase your pre-existing suspicions that he had sought out others for the droid series. You inwardly bristled while outwardly you maintained a calm facade. Kylo Ren’s words echoed in your head, the permission he had given you to lie. “Thankfully we hold the appropriate patents to dissuade others from pursuing a similar model.”

Both were frowning, frustration blossoming on the advisor’s face while the senator appeared more angry than anything. You waved a hand in the air dismissively. “That is beside the point. I just wanted to thank you for the vote of confidence in the project and for your secrecy.”

_Maker, I am bored talking to this man._ Your mind kept drifting back to the thoughts that had taken residence directly before his approach. Until this point, you had not realized just how much you wanted physical intimacy. Or even just sex, take away any other element that might exist. Your mind circled back to intimacy, however, and the poem that had been sent to you along with the art. It was the poem that you mentioned as a means of breaking up the silent conversation that had been transpiring between senator and advisor while you had been distracted by your reverie. You wanted to keep the physical assistant droids as an Ace up your sleeve during the meeting. You would still not put it past the man to mention the TR8-0R droids, more so now that he believed his plans to go around the First Order were compromised. _Sex really would be preferable to this._

Introducing the poem had a powerful impact. The senator pulled away from his advisor with a soft smile that you had never witnessed on his countenance before. You were tugged away from your negative line of thinking. As tantalizing as sex was, you realized that these interactions could translate into your future conversations with General Hux and Kylo Ren. Shift away from business, leave behind work, and focus on something that others would think trivial. A poem of all things, which was evocative of countless emotions. You had been handed a weapon, albeit not one to harm others. One that was a key of sorts. The senator could not duck away from any questions you posed his way as easily as _Anonymous_ and _Unknown_ had; there was no screen for him to hide behind.

Relaxing into the conversation, you listened as the senator began to speak in a more animated, less haughty fashion than he was wont to do. Though you heard everything that he said, some portions were not committed to memory. Your mind drifted in places. You remembered the conversation that you had had with Kylo Ren in the training area. How personal that had been, how it had led to the kiss. Next your encounter with General Hux.

_Armitage and Kylo…_ Both, truly, were the woman in the painting; elusive, puzzles you could not figure out. What did they represent for your personal life?

“There was a sister poem to that one,” the senator said, drawing you out of your thoughts for another time. His advisor lingered several steps behind, your small party having started to walk through the hallway. “It compared Arkanis and Tatooine.” A desert and a planet that rained so frequently. You felt your smile widen at that. This glimpse into a side of the senator that you had not known existed was humbling. It reminded you that you saw only portions of people. This was precisely how you had missed the fact that General Hux and Kylo Ren had each believed themselves to be involved with you.

_I need to speak with them one-on-one in a setting that isn’t...a ship or a base… I need to use this time wisely. Lunch and maybe dinner. Or between meals._

“Was the poem with Arkanis written first?” You recalled that this was the birth planet of Armitage Hux, and you were curious if he knew of the poem. If he knew of either of the poems; it was again driving you crazy to not know which man was _Anonymous_ and which was _Unknown_. Simply more motivation to get them by themselves.

The senator held up a hand haplessly. “I am afraid there are contradicting statements on that.” So much less pompous. The less time he spent conferring with his advisor, the more you enjoyed his company. Maker above, you _hated_ politics. “I do know that the poet is said to have been related to a Jedi.”

_Kylo then? He would know more of that, wouldn’t he? Except...the Jedi were involved in politics._ You ran your tongue along your lips. “I think I am going to have to do some more research.” He chuckled then suggested the title to a book as a starting point. This you did commit to memory, promising yourself that you were going to mention it to the sender of the poem. See how they responded. It was your goal to unmask them before the day was through.


	14. Analyses

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “Try to be a rainbow is someone else’s cloud.” - Maya Angelou _

Fourteen: Analyses

Spending time with the senator had proven to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience due to your being equipped with the poem and the painting as topics of discussion. His mind appeared to have wandered away from the potential TR8-0R project. The budding camaraderie also instilled in you a sense of peace regarding the man; you believed that he would not be so inclined to speak ill of the First Order or overshare on any of the other projects he had helped to finance. This was not to say that you were not mentally taxed by playing nice. His adviser being present had dissuaded you from broaching certain lines of dialogue to include information about your other project. It remained an Ace for another day, possibly during the meeting itself.

Massaging either side of your temple with two fingers, you willed away a small headache that had formed from the prolonged conversation. General Hux would have risen from bed an hour ago, you noted, debating whether you wanted to rest a little first or pursue interaction with him now. As the saying went, there was no time like the present. On top of that, there were less chances that you would be interrupted with the majority of the other officers still asleep or else only then rising for the day.

He was, unsurprisingly, in the community area with a datapad in hand and two others on the table. You valued working for someone with nearly identical work ethics and habits as yourself. With a small smile, you slipped onto the seat next to him. General Hux did not object to your nosiness when you glanced at the datapad that was in his hand. This particular report required minimum clearance. Your interest in the document wavered within seconds. Reminding yourself why you were there, you cleared your throat while setting your hands in your lap, one atop the other.

“Hm?” he grunted. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes, not at his mediocre acknowledgment of your presence so much as the fact that you felt like a schoolgirl. You were an adult, you had had multiple conversations with the man. Maker, you had  _ kissed _ him and  _ sexted _ with him. Why were you nervous  _ now _ ?

_ I feel like I need to make a choice between them once I know _ , you realized. You trailed your tongue along your lips and shoved that thought to the side. Regardless, it had to be done. “I think a bigger concern is not the individual themselves but the company they keep.” Only partially cryptic on the off chance that there was surveillance.

General Hux turned his head. You mirrored his actions, locking gazes with him. Those eyes were so deep, you noted. You could not tell if they were more green or more blue. You reached up, setting a hand on his jaw to trace your thumb along his lips. You nearly jumped though you had been the one to initiate contact. His skin was warm beneath the pad of your thumb, his breath offering moisture. Your heart hammered in your chest, in your ears. The increase in contact you had with both him and Kylo Ren, it was scrambling your ability to think. All you could do was focus on them and how it felt to kiss and touch them. To be touched by them.

_ This is not why I came here, _ you thought despite the fact that you were even then letting your eyelids descend as General Hux leaned in closer. His nose brushed along yours though he did not kiss you. Your thumb remained on those lips, running back and forth.

“Would you like to come to my room?” You held your breath, your eyes snapping open. Searching his face for any sign that he was teasing or would reveal his full intention of extending the invitation, you quickly learned that he was leaving that up to you. Going into his room did not have to lead to sex. It would offer you more privacy to interact with him, to kiss him if you wanted...or, yes, to have sex with him. You were not quite ready for that step, not until you knew if he was  _ Anonymous  _ or  _ Unknown _ .

With a hesitant nod, you rose from the seat that you had taken and lowered your arms to your side. General Hux followed suit. He gathered up his various datapads while nodding his head in the direction of his room. You turned to walk in that direction with the awareness that he would follow. The entire time, your mind was racing. Kissing him was not out of the question; stars, you  _ wanted _ to kiss him now that you would be in a setting where it was less likely to be caught. Bringing up the painting could work, although since you had spoken with the senator about the poem first, that would flow more naturally into a conversation. Mentally rehearsing what you would say to steer the conversation in that direction, you stepped to the side so that he could unlock the door to his room.

Everything was in order; you could not tell if the bed had been made by the maids or by the man himself. It was tempting to ask, however you held your tongue. Your eyes swept about the area to note where he had placed four other datapads. He was, you realized, involved in more projects that you were. Which did make sense if you stopped to think about it. You dealt with droids and programming, whereas he had to hear of those matters alongside stormtrooper and officer training, ships and weaponry, and a multitude of other matters. Each of those required a keen eye to ensure that they fit perfectly into the largest project of all, the success of the First Order.

“ _ The durasteel walls tighten like a cage around you, _ ” you murmured. It had not been intentional on your part to quote the poem in that moment, yet for some reason the words flowed over you as you stood there in the room. You were not thinking of these walls, but of the ones on the  _ Finalizer _ and the other ships that you had lived on while in service to the First Order. A part of you did enjoy traveling, however now being on planet, you realized that you missed it.

General Hux closed the door after entering the room and walked over to the pile of the other datapads to stack it higher with the ones in his hands. He looked over his shoulder to consider you. “You’re interested in poetry.” A statement. You shrugged while offering a noncommittal noise. His lips pursed forward for a moment. Inwardly, you were pleased with yourself for having gained an answer before you had consciously pursued it; he was familiar with the poem to know that it was a line of poetry you had recited.

“Are you?” you countered, ensuring that your tone was playful. He now smirked at you, openly amused by your flirting.  _ Stars. _ The realization dawned on you, how comfortable you were to slip so easily into flirting. To be conscious of it. This was happening. You ran your tongue along your lips. “Do you have any favorites?”

The pair of you walked closer to one another. Your mind began to again race, working through what you wanted. You wanted to kiss him. You wanted to know if he had sent the art or the poem. You wanted him to pin you down and fuck you. You wanted to wait, afraid of the repercussions. You placed your hands on his chest and tilted back your head, letting your eyes slip closed again. This time his mouth descended upon yours in a kiss that you happily returned. His hands roamed your upper arms before skimming along your chest. You cupped his face, as though doing so solidified that this was real. His tongue danced with yours, exploring you in a way that had you clenching. You shuddered, hands diving upwards and toying with his hair.

General Hux grabbed hold of your hips then pulled you along with him further into the room. You let him push you onto the bed and climb atop you. Wrapped your legs around him, whining into the next kiss and whimpering as he bit gently on your bottom lip. “I enjoy the poems that help me win battles.” You wrinkled your nose at that, delighted that he had answered your question and enthused over the fact that he again sought your mouth with his.

It would be so easy to lose yourself in the moment, however you were not going to allow that skilled tongue, those wonderful lips, to make you forget that you wanted answers. “Paintings?” you asked between kisses. He grunted above you. Pulling away a fraction, General Hux skimmed his nose along yours. His eyes were searching your face. You could not tell if this was confusion; did he not know why you were bringing up paintings, or was it that he was inwardly debating how much he would reveal? You reached up to brush aside strands of hair that had fallen out of place and onto his forehead.

“I do have an appreciation of multiple forms of art.” He was cleverly evasive when it came to potentially handing you the information you sought. Not that this was in any way surprising; as a General of the First Order, he dabbled in politics more often than you did. You rolled your eyes at him in hopes that it would cause him to budge. Instead he only smirked and kissed you. His lips pressed to your mouth, next directly next to it, along your jawline. He made a trail up towards your ear, where he whispered, “I want to see you guess.”

“That is rather frustrating, I must say,” you huffed out though you were grinning. It was comfortable to be under him like this, more than you had thought it would be. He grunted. “Can I call you by your first name when we are alone like this?” Another grunt, this one an affirmation. “Armitage,” you said, testing how it felt in this more intimate setting and his reaction to hearing it from you. He licked his lips, his pupils momentarily widening. You could feel his entire body responding to you; his hardening cock pressing into your thigh. “I am not...exactly rejecting you, however…”

You trailed off in part because he was already nodding, his expression conveying that he understood. This was proceeding at a faster rate than you were ready to handle due to the amount of players. On top of that, to enter a relationship with him would have an impact on your career, as well as your daily life while you worked for the First Order.

“I never realized how comfortable I was with the two of you.” Armitage did not react to the way that Kylo Ren was brought into the conversation. No insult was taken, for which you were glad. Fingers dancing along the collar of his shirt, you found that it was easy to picture yourself stripping him. “Being safe behind the screen, talking to both of you, not knowing which account belongs to you and which belongs to him…” You moved upwards and kissed him. His mouth was hungry against yours. Armitage’s hands wandered along your body. He was emboldened by each moan and whimper that escaped your. Simultaneous to kneading your breasts, he began to rock his hips into yours. You spread your legs wider then wrapped them around his waist.

You could feel yourself growing wet with each thrust that you met. The way his body rocked into yours had electric heat spiraling through your veins. His breath was hot against your mouth, your throat, through your shirt as he mouthed your breast. You felt his teeth, felt yourself once more clench as your arousal grew. Tears of pleasure were gathering in your eyes, and they could have spilled for a much different reason as a hard knock on the door interrupted the moment.

Armitage pulled away from you, rising and taking a moment to gather his bearings. You ran a hand down the length of your face. Were you disappointed or thankful for the interruption? You were conflicted, experiencing both as you rose from the bed as well. You smoothed out your clothes just as General Hux walked over to the door to answer it. On the other side was a stormtrooper alongside one of the individuals that had escorted your group to the building the day before. General Hux was being summoned to help lay out a timetable for the meeting so that all elements could be discussed without interfering with any other schedules. Neither of the other two seemed to notice you standing there, and General Hux did not wave towards you to draw attention. Instead he headed out of the room. This was not out of rudeness; you appreciated his discretion and internally counted up to a few minutes so that you could exit the room with the lowest possibility of being seen by others.

None of the other officers were out in the community area and Kylo Ren was also absent. There was a pang of disappointment in the latter until you recognized that it would have been more awkward than anything. Approaching him after having just kissed--and groped--Armitage? Your eyebrows rose and you shook your head. It was important that you gathered yourself before speaking with Kylo Ren. With this in mind, you returned to the room that you were sharing with Aelin. He was finishing the breakfast that you’d had delivered for him as you entered the room.

“I spoke with Eddard a few minutes ago,” he said, patting his mouth with the edge of a napkin to get rid of any food that may have clung to him. Aelin gestured to the other chair, which you took while waiting for him to continue. “The TIE for Millicent is fully functioning as a bed; its conversion from one form to the other can use some work. He showed holofeed during our conversation, and if the issue is what I believe it is, that should not take much time at all.” It was rewarding to know that the project was wrapping up. The one downside, in this case, would be less interaction with Millicent. You had grown so fond of her these past weeks.

With a nod of acknowledgment so as not to be rude, you allowed yourself a moment to dwell on that more melancholy thought. As soon as your proposal went through--you were more and more certain that it would--your focus would need to be fully on the anti-procrastination and physical therapy droids. There was also the mouse droid that was awaiting your return in your quarters. Not that you would not find a way to squeeze in some time with Millicent if the opportunity presented itself. It was more that this could not and would not be a priority any longer. You scowled at that, the feelings of conflict refusing to subside. You knew that these were rooted more deeply than just the projects. It had to do with potential relationships.

“I have been compiling notes on what may be best for the physical therapy droid’s body.” From another, you might have worried that the individual was attempting to take lead on the project. With Aelin, though, you knew differently. There was the added fact that his tone held a more inquisitive quality, the man seeking approval. You gave a nod for him to continue. “Obviously we will want to limit how many resources are pooled into it--at least for now, though that may change--however I think your aim is to have it capable of physically assisting the individual if need be.”

“Oh, definitely.” That was an area that you had been toying with numerous routes and had been planning to discuss the matter with Aelin. You loved that he was on top of things. “I want to know if you think synthskin would be useful for their hands.” He hummed and you could tell that he was working through some mental calculations, weighing the pros and cons of this route. You reached forward to pluck up one of the extra rolls. Nibbling, you also started to make more notes in your head that you would later work into the file you had started. These would not be necessary for the proposal, which helped you to not feel so pressured to jot them down immediately.

The pair of you spent the better part of an hour discussing what materials would best serve the physical therapy dorids before delving into differences between them and the anti-procrastination droids. For one, synthskin would not offer much for the latter and thus would be a waste of resources and credits. It was near lunch hour that you broke away with the intention of at last approaching Kylo Ren. Discussing work had helped you to calm, clearing your head in preparation of when you were alone with him.

Though one of the officers and a stormtrooper were in the community room, Kylo Ren was not present. You walked to his room, knocked on the door, and were thankful that he responded, that he was there. The door started to swing open as you were beginning to identify yourself. Wasting no time, you stepped inside and did not feel any surprise as it closed behind you. Kylo Ren was seated on the very end of the bed with his legs crossed. He appeared much as he had in the training room when you had first kissed. The difference here was that he wore all but his outer robes and mask.

“You met with the senator,” he stated, his voice deep as always. It was pleasant to hear, although that was partly due to the fact that he was not your enemy. How did those who opposed him feel when they heard him speak?

Unsure if a response was necessary, you waited a beat before saying anything at all. “I did not have to reveal the other project. I did lie a little about patents… I should have addressed that with General Hux.” Kylo Ren at last looked your way as you said the name. His expression was unreadable, yet his hands were not in fists. “I was hoping to discuss something else.” A single, slow blink. “A painting.” No reaction other than his eyes searching your face.

_ These men, _ you inwardly growled. You stepped nearer to him. With gazes locked, a sense of understanding dawned. He knew of the painting yet was on his guard. For what reason, you wondered; it had to be something more personal. Did that mean that he had sent it to you? Or had he simply observed General Hux doing so?

“Part of me wants to come out and ask, to be blunt.” His mouth twitched, his eyes pinching in the corners as amusement visibly flowed through him. “There were moments I thought I could tell who was who. Then I wasn’t sure anymore.” You were walking towards him without having made a conscious decision to do so. You paused inches away from the bed. How easily you could touch him if you reached out. So you did, you set your hands on either of his knees. Kylo Ren did not shy away from your touch nor reject it. “You each picked something the other would know about. Like a blind reaction. No bias from me because I don’t know the sender.” You leaned forward, your face in his. “I really,  _ really _ do not like being tested.”

“They haunt you. The poem and the painting.” It was irksome, that he found so much humor in this. You fought off the childish pout that wanted to form. Of all the things that could have been sent, art felt the most intimate to you. To blatantly ask which he had sent, he could reject you. On the other hand, if he obliged, that was equally intimate. A willingness to bare more of himself to you without the guise of a datapad screen. You stroked his legs. Gaze dropping to where your hands touched, you let yourself sigh and relax into the moment. “We became more _ human _ to you this way.” He had managed to hit the nail on the head.

It had not been difficult to be mad at them for their mistakes or to pull yourself out of the moment before. You had felt awkward yet not exactly guilty for having kissed both of them. Now? The idea that you would have to fully reject one or the other...or both.

“I want to hear your guess.”

It was a kind way for him to make a demand of you. There was the option to deny him the satisfaction, at least until you were again behind a datapad screen. Kylo Ren placed his hands on your hips in a loose hold. You could shrink away from him if you had wanted, except that was the opposite of what you wanted. With a sigh, you instead leaned closer and pressed your mouth to his. The kiss was softer than any that you had shared with General Hux. It was as though Kylo Ren recognized and acknowledged how the tables were being turned, that  _ you _ were now the one in a more vulnerable position.

“You can smirk, but don’t laugh at me if I am wrong.” It was simultaneously a request and a demand. Kylo Ren instigated the next kiss, this one more forceful, more hungry. You melted against him. One of his hands went to the back of your neck while the other groped your rear. You felt your body responding to him, to his touches, to his hot mouth. With a shudder, you climbed into his lap then let him roll you onto your back.

“Tell me.” That deep voice dropping to a whisper. You nodded without immediately obeying. His mouth was at your throat. Teeth and lips and tongue all assaulting you. “Which one?”

“From you?” you asked. A deep inhalation and widened eyes. He had slipped a hand up into your shirt to toy with your nipple, rolling it with two fingers. “Uhm… I had debated the poem because Force users were always said to study a lot, to read and write.” Another nip at your throat before he began to suck at the captured flesh. You curled your toes and swallowed thickly. “Er… The painting, though…” Trembling, you closed your eyes and licked your lips. Allowed yourself a second to drown in the sensation of his mouth claiming you. “The eyes stuck out to me as being something from you. The way you’re so closed off with what you wear like the woman in the painting. Trying to figure out if she is life or death. It reminds me of your role in the First Order.” A sigh from you as he paused in his kisses. “That’s when the poem felt like General Hux. The durasteel walls of the machines, the bases he’s on. Arkanis doesn’t necessarily have green like Naboo, but it’s different. And it felt more like something internal. Closing himself off to others. This sounds so stupid, Maker.” You placed both of your hands over your face, hiding it. “Are you going to tell me if I’m right or wrong?” you asked after a delay. Lowering your hands, you looked down at him and discovered that he was watching you. Once more his expression was unreadable, the man on his guard.

_ Kriff...was I wrong? _ Worse still…  _ If I got it wrong, is he insulted? _

You sucked your lips into your mouth and waited for him to say something, anything at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So right around here is where I planned to split up the fic into two different routes (Hux route and Kylo route). I can do that, I can add a third route (threesome route), or I can just do the threesome route. I'm kind of hoping to get some opinions on this since I am comfortable doing any of them. Thank you in advance <3


	15. Identities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three Routes (Kylo, Hux, and Poly) begins in this chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I want to thank everyone again for responding to the question regarding the routes. You are all amazing, and I appreciate your support and input.
> 
> Second, I am sorry that this chapter took so long. I was taking a small break in order to better plot out the three routes; alongside that I wanted to get to a specific point in another fic (which I did manage to do), and also wound up having to handle the loss of a pet. Thank you for being patient in the meantime. I hope to update more consistently once more.
> 
> Third (and last for now), there are going to be points where one character get smut in a chapter and another does not. That will alternate based on the timeline. The routes are divided up in each chapter and are labeled as they begin. A line break is also available to help you find which route you are looking for.

**Error: Program Not Found**

_ “Identity cannot be found or fabricated but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go.” - Doug Cooper _

Fifteen: Identities

**[Kylo Route]**

Stretching silence suffocated you until realization dawned that you had to stop holding your breath. If he spoke, Kylo Ren would ensure that you heard his words. The guarded expression on his face failed to falter. You parted your lips with the intention to speak yet the words died on your tongue. He, too, had opened his mouth. He paused as you had, his lips thinning out into a frown. It was his eyes that you observed more closely. They were in constant motion, flitting along your face as though in search of something. He may have been waiting for you to speak again. Had he noticed the mounting apprehension within you? Kylo Ren shifted forward. He propped himself up with both hands on either side of your head. His body only skimmed along the length of yours without weight being pressed against you.

Gazes locked, you reached up to touch his chest. His flesh was warm under your palms, the heat radiating through the material of his shirt. You wanted to feel his skin. “I was not wrong,” you said. There lingered still a question on the edge of those words, as though you half expected him to contradict you despite the fact that your resolve had strengthened.

Kylo Ren grunted, the noise noncommittal, and moved a hand to your face. You leaned into his touch, your chest rising and falling in a heavy sigh. It was comfortable to be there with him. The idea that he would be judging you faded away. You were more certain now that you had guessed correctly, which gave you a boost of confidence. You knew him, you had seen through him in a rather intimate way. More than that, Kylo Ren had been the one to expose himself. He had welcomed you. This knowledge made you trail your hands up from his chest to his face. The two of you moved in unison, your lips meeting his, which were hungry. You moaned into the kiss, allowing his tongue access to explore. It ran along the roof of your mouth, making you clench in desire.

His hands began to explore your body, and you did nothing to stop him. On the contrary, you moaned in approval, grabbing one of his wrists, and placed his hand between your legs. His long fingers dragged along the crotch of your clothing. You swore into the kiss. Kylo Ren traced your slit again while his other hand parted your thighs. He worked himself between your legs and ground against you. The size of his erection prompted a whine. You undulated your body under his, locked your legs against his hips.

“Is this a good idea?” You might have been asking him, but you were not entirely certain that this was so. You were definitely posing the question to yourself, although you were hardly going to say that  _ no, it is a bad idea _ . That you spoke at all made Kylo Ren cease his actions. You shook your head, your hands once more seeking his face. Having read your expression and gained the answer he had been looking for, Kylo Ren resumed kissing you. He again rolled his hips, thrusting against your body, building the friction and making jolts of pleasure travel throughout you. You released a moan that he swallowed with another kiss. His hands were on your breasts, groping, kneading.

Kylo Ren shifted onto his knees, his hands on your hips as he ground his pelvis into yours. You threw back your head, feeling those deft fingers toying with your clit through your clothing. “Would you like to cum?” Such a filthy question. You could only bob your head in reply. Eyes pleading that he make good on the offer. His lips twisted upwards with amusement while desire made his eyes glint.

He hooked his fingers into your pants and began to draw them down along with your panties. You sucked your lips into your mouth and bit down. Watched him with growing anticipation. Already his tongue was peeking out of his mouth to trail along his lips as he looked down at your cunt. You shuddered for a second time. Felt yourself growing wetter under his scrutiny. Kylo Ren tossed aside the unwanted articles of clothing then placed his hands on your inner thighs. He held you apart, moved between your legs, and nudged your clit with the tip of his nose while meeting your gaze. Your face--your entire body--grew hot at the sight. His warm breath wafted over you. His tongue teased along your inner lips though it did not dip into you just then. He was tasting you, testing you.

Kylo Ren grazed his teeth along your sensitive flesh, causing another shiver to run through your body. You shuddered then gasped as he wormed the tip of his tongue into you, wiggling it in a manner that made your toes curl. He withdrew before you could roll your hips towards his face for more contact. You groaned. A part of you was in a chastising mood, reminding you that you should not expect anything less. He would deliver, that you knew. Yet Kylo Ren had his fun by watching the reactions of others. To draw this out, to tease you and perhaps even wait until you were begging, that was his modus operandi. You swallow, squeezed your eyes closed, and melted at the feel of him shifting his tongue into you again. This time Kylo Ren pressed in further. He curled his tongue as it withdrew, drawing your slick juices into his mouth with a noisy slurp.

“Oh  _ fuck _ ,” you moaned. It would be quite easy to beg for him right off the bat, however you doubt that he would view it as being sincere. You were not so desperate for him as he would want. This drawn out game of attraction had been occurring longer in his mind than yours. This was merely evening the playing fields.

You started to reach down towards his hair then paused, unsure if he would feel comfortable with you doing so. Kylo Ren drew back from you enough so that you could see him smirk at you. He uttered a soft  _ you may _ and then pushed his face back against your cunt. Just as you were burying your fingers in those soft tresses, he was nudging your clit with his nose and swirling his tongue in a circle at your entrance. He flattened his tongue against you, pulled away, easily ignored the way your grip tightened on his head and how you attempted to pull him back. Another whine left your throat.

Kylo Ren pressed two fingers to the right of your outer lips. He traced ghost-like trails around your flesh for a moment before he slid his tongue inside of your again. His fingers moved underneath, threatened to enter you. You held your breath for a moment. Fuck, how you wanted him. “Please,” you said breathily. He grunted in response, a puff of air hitting your cunt. Your body rocked towards his, a subconscious roll of your hips. The next one was more purposeful. Kylo Ren slid one finger then a second inside of you along with his tongue. He began to scissor you open and worm his tongue between his fingers, wiggling it and darting it in and out of you. You felt yourself growing wetter, hotter.

The sounds his mouth made as he toyed with you, lapped at you, nearly faded away as the edges of your vision began to blur. His fingers had found your g-spot, and he repeatedly stroked you there. His tongue caressing elsewhere. His nose nudging your clit. Your walls began to clench around him, to pulse, and you threw your head back as your orgams crashed over you. You rocked your hips to meet the thrusts, riding his fingers through your orgasm. Kylo Ren slurped at your cum, drawing more into his mouth until at last he pulled away. You did not fight him as he grabbed hold of your wrists and freed his hair from your grip. He moved up the length of your body. Used the back of his arm to wipe at his face, which was wet with your slick.

You blinked up at him, your hand sliding between his legs and stroking his cock through his pants. Kylo Ren grunted again, caught your wrist, and moved it away. “Next time.” You opened your mouth to protest, however footsteps on the other side of the door silenced anything you might have said. You felt your face begin to heat up as you wondered who might have heard your reactions to his touches, your cries of pleasure. It was not as though you were ashamed of them; it was more that this situation had already been complicated and you still had yet to speak with General Hux. You held your breath for a moment while listening to the footsteps. They continued past, however their very existence had changed the mood of the room.

“I feel bad for not reciprocating.” His eyes were intense as they landed on yours. You pressed your thighs together and took note of how his already plush lips were more plump--and slickened--from when he had down on you. “The way things happened here, I have had more time to reflect. More time to relax and enjoy myself...let myself feel.” You did not want to sound overly sentimental. Deciding that your words were not quite hitting the notes you desired them to, you wrinkled your nose and shook your head.

“I understand,” Kylo Ren said before you could start to mentally berate yourself. You relaxed instantly. His claim that the two of you were not programmed so differently sprang back to your mind. You found yourself smiling at that, at the way he was making you feel right then. He was a man of few words, however he did not require many to properly articulate his meanings.

You began to think of the painting that he had sent to you. As you did, Kylo Ren reached to the side and used the Force to summon your clothing into his hand. Your eyebrows drew upwards. It was difficult to not be in awe of his power. Accepting the clothes, you slipped back into them and then looked in the direction of the door. There were more footsteps on the other side, these ones traveling in the opposite direction compared with the previous. Kylo Ren had been able to sense it all through the Force; he did not need to look away or wait to hear those footsteps.

“Is there more for you to do to be prepared?” It took you a second to consider his question and what he was referring to. The man switched gears rather easily. You pinched the bridge of your nose and mentally ran through anything that might assist you during the upcoming meeting. Unlike in other cases, you would not likely be taking lead on the conversation.

A sigh escaped from you as you realized that, though you wanted to remain there with him, you had to leave Kylo Ren’s room. There were details that Aelin would be able to go over with you, and you also hoped to work with him to state what information regarding your tentative projects that were under no condition to be released. He would have a vague idea, yet you would not allow room for error. You shifted off of the bed and stood near the piece of furniture while turning to face Kylo Ren.

“After the meeting, I hope to have time to discuss matters with you and General Hux.” A twitch of his jaw. “Separately.” His expression was difficult to read, though you could tell that he was not offended. His hands remained relaxed and he offered you a small nod. “Uhm...thanks though.” You said this in an attempt to draw a reaction, and you met with success as his eyes pinched in the corners, amusement. When next you were in the same room, he would be behind a wall that shielded all of his emotions. Behind a mask that hid his face from your view. “I hope that you feel comfortable continuing to message me.”

There was no need to wait for an answer that you would not come. It was a statement that placed a sort of burden on his shoulders in that you had not discussed matters with General Hux. There was no clear plan as to how things would proceed. Then, too, there was the fact that now you would know it was him. Hiding behind a screen was different when one was anonymous compared with when one was known. You exited the room and headed for the one that you shared with Aelin.

Hours later, sitting in the meeting reminded you of how you lacked a fondness for the politics of business. This was in part due to the fact that you would, very soon, be properly proposing your projects to the board at the First Order. The finer details required more work, and you had hoped to finish the TIE project for Millicent before undertaking anything that would require more of your attention. It could be time-consuming largely because you had to then ensure that other programmers working for the First Order could take over when you were finished. If they could not handle smaller issues and upgrades that might arise, you had not done very well in helping the First Order. Due to these droids being ones you genuinely hoped were adopted at a rate that assisted stormtroopers and officers alike--perhaps civilians down the line--you did not want to chance frustrations causing a discontinuation.

This, naturally, was where it suited you to be present for this meeting, and it was why you had been content to accompany General Hux and Kylo Ren there. Superior quality materials in the droids would result in fewer issues; malfunctions that had nothing to do with the programming was also known to cause discontinuations. Aelin had offered you a brief outline on his preferred components and materials, both of which the company provided. One of the issues with this was ensuring that the company did not run its mouth and thus out the First Order as hoarding materials or weaponry.

You refrained from chewing on your bottom lip. Your eyes flicked along the table as you took in the faces of those seated. There were no cruel expressions. Kylo Ren wore his mask, which likely hid his boredom. He was present as a formality; it was General Hux and Aelin who would be doing the majority of the speaking. You would chime in where needed, possibly to humor the senator, who was also there.

The notes that you had brought for when you did speak came in handy within the last quarter of an hour since the meeting had begun to get fully underway. There were questions from the suppliers regarding liability and what sort of order loads should be expected. The New Republic was vigilant--to an extent, you thought while inwardly rolling your eyes--when it came to weaponry being developed. That was where your proposal for medically beneficial droids aided in easing the consciences of the suppliers and their lawyers. Truthfully, you found the meeting to be nothing more than a superfluous formality the more time dragged on. It was clear that the First Order’s business was plenty welcome. They wanted the credits. This was checking boxes to cover the asses of all involved.

Which, of course, meant that the senator was present for snooping purposes. How droll.

“Now, you say that this project has not been officially accepted?” one of the lawyers asked.

General Hux waved a hand dismissively. “I can say with certainty that if this specific project is rejected, its proposal will be modified to better reflect our needs. At which time, you will be made aware of any changes that could hold a risk to your business.” You wondered if any portion of this statement was a lie. Not that you ultimately cared; you knew that the project was something useful to the First Order. Its success meant less training newer officers and stormtroopers to replace those whose therapy post-injury kept them off the battlefield. This would be most appealing to superior officers. They would see the appeal for themselves, and they were the ones you would be making the proposal to.

“Unlike our competitor, we do not cut corners.” A fact that had been stated and reiterated multiple times already. “In return, we hope that you do not either.” A pause, which you knew was for dramatic effect. “We would like a copy of the project proposal once it has been approved.” You felt a different sort of heat than you had earlier experienced spiraling throughout your body. Anger coiled.

“Is this a threat?” Kylo Ren was the one to speak, and you jumped in place at the unexpected sound of his voice. The others in the room appeared to lose their nerve. “That is First Order property.”

General Hux nodded in agreement, and you felt the anger begin to ebb. This, you knew, was why you felt fondly for both men. Why you respected them--because they respected you.

* * *

**[Hux Route]**

Silence stretched on, creating a sort of suffocation that was remedied when you remembered to breathe. There was no need to strain to hear if Kylo Ren spoke. Should he do so, he would ensure that his words were heard. That was the way things had always been between the pair of you. Why should now be any different? His guarded expression refused to waver. The pair of you opened your mouths to speak at the same time, both of you closing them. Waiting for the other to say something instead. His eyes flickered along your face. They were in near-constant motion, which offered the impression that he was searching for something. Perhaps a sign, or maybe he had noticed the apprehension that continued to build within you.

Kylo Ren drew back without completely pulling away. There was no animosity nor any hints that you had somehow insulted him. “I was not wrong,” you said, pushing yourself up into a sitting position. You twisted so that the pair of you were facing one another at a more comfortable angle. “Was I?” The remnants of doubt were miniscule, however you were incapable of shoving them away. You wanted Kylo Ren to eliminate them by speaking the truth.

“No, you were not,” he said. The two of you eyed one another. You tentatively reached over, hungry for contact yet not quite ready to pursue anything more serious. The affection that you felt for both Armitage and Kylo had grown with the awareness that they had both of them exposed a part of themselves to you, something more personal and intimate that few were allowed to glimpse. Kylo Ren did not pull away from you as you made contact with his shoulder before sliding your hand to cup the side of his face. He met you halfway for a kiss that did not evolve quickly as it might have if only your mind had not been racing again. “We both made you feel.”

The statement drew a nod from you, and the temptation to look away in shame hit you like a blow to the stomach. You cared for Kylo Ren just as you cared for General Hux--or was it differently that you felt for them? If you had been in pursuit of a quick fling or simply sex, either man would be a great match. As you considered something more long term, a partnership, a relationship, that was where your mind fizzled. Kylo Ren did not want anything sentimental, as that held the potential of influencing his training. It could change the way he wielded the Force. He might have been correct about the two of you not being programmed quite so differently, however the thing was that you were made for different things. He tended to destroy in order to create. You, on the other hand, built things up, you repaired them via different methods. That was where you might clash.

It was the painting of the woman and the story behind it. She haunted the man, appeared at pivotal moments in his life. Yet he could never tell if she was an omen of ill fortune or something benevolent. You and Kylo Ren, you were that way to one another. Destined to cross paths. To haunt one another with what might have been. Yet never truly know the other so intimately, never fall into a romantic love.

And that was, you had started to realize, what a part of you yearned for. Though you did not think Kylo Ren would fault you for it--and, in truth, you believed that he had sensed it as well, that he had sent the painting wondering if the both of you could understand this tragically short run the pair of you had--you nevertheless felt guilt. You felt a sense of loss over that short lived dream. You started to open your mouth, however Kylo Ren kissed you instead then, as he drew back, shook his head. The two of you could hold onto the fantasy for longer. You liked that, foolish though it might be. You still had a few days left on the planet, after all, and you did not have to return to reality, not completely, until you were back on the  _ Finalizer _ .

That thought in mind, you cupped his face with both of your hands and kissed him more deeply. Kylo Ren returned the kiss, deepening it though not nearly as intensely as he had before. You were, all the same, lost in the moment, in the feel of his mouth on yours. As though time had temporarily stopped, you imagined existing with him and you found that it was peaceful through the understanding you had of one another.

After a little while longer, as you began to hear movement and footsteps on the other side of the door--more and more frequently--you broke apart from him. There were lingering tingles on your lips that caused you to suck them into your mouth before releasing them again. Your mind was also in a buzz. One thing that you were certain of was that you wanted to speak with General Hux a final time before the meeting. Otherwise this would all be hanging over your head, demanding your attention when it needed to be on work.

“Is there more for you to do to be prepared?” It took you a second to consider his question and what he was referring to. You pinched the bridge of your nose and mentally ran through anything that might assist you during the upcoming meeting. Unlike in other cases, you would not likely be taking lead on the conversation.

A sigh escaped from you as you realized that, though you wanted to speak first with General Hux, there were details that Aelin would need to be able to go over with you, and you also hoped to work with him to state what information regarding your tentative projects that were under no condition to be released. He would have a vague idea, yet you would not allow room for error. You shifted off of the bed and stood near the piece of furniture while turning to face Kylo Ren.

“After the meeting, I hope to have time to discuss matters with you and General Hux.” A twitch of his jaw. “Separately.” His expression was difficult to read, though you could tell that he was not offended. His hands remained relaxed and he offered you a small nod. When next you were in the same room, he would be behind a wall that shielded all of his emotions. Behind a mask that hid his face from your view. “I hope that you feel comfortable continuing to message me.”

There was no need to wait for an answer that you would not come. It was a statement that placed a sort of burden on his shoulders in that you had not discussed matters with General Hux. There was no clear plan as to how things would proceed. Then, too, there was the fact that now you would know it was him. Hiding behind a screen was different when one was anonymous compared with when one was known. You exited the room and headed for the one that you shared with Aelin.

For quite a period, you and Aelin discussed matters, which resulted in you also being able to add to the various notes you had already created for the project. There were considerations you had in regards to older projects, too, that you wanted to check in on. One of the training droids that you had assisted in programming had been passed onto another programmer that had trained under your supervision. From time to time you pulled her onto other projects. Her name had already been included on your list alongside Eddard’s for the upcoming project presentation. She did not complain when you delegated tasks ot her, and she would be more than willing to jump in if there was ever a time the assassination droid lines conflicted with the schedule for the physical therapy and anti-procrastination droids.

Once you had exhausted the conversation as much as you were willing to--in part because your mind had begun to continuously drift to General Hux--you and Aelin wrapped things up with an agreed-upon timetable for projects and team meetings. There remained a little stretch of time before the meeting was scheduled, and you hoped that you could catch General Hux before then. Knowing for certain that he had sent the poem, you wanted to ask him if he had read the other piece. You dressed in the attire that you knew would offer the best impression with the suppliers and senator then headed out, your bag at the ready with what project notes you would be willing to share should either Kylo Ren or General Hux have you speak.

Unsurprisingly, Armitage had not left his room. Or, if he had, he had since returned and was also readying for the work to come. He permitted you entrance then walked over to the bed on which there were strewn a few datapads and a commlink. “I know that you sent the poem,” you said after the door had closed. His hand paused just as he had reached for one of the datapads. He looked at you, nodded, and slid his gaze back towards the device.

“There have been other senators interested in the arts. I wanted to ensure you were well equipped. No need to exhaust yourself before the meeting.” That particular item was not what you wanted to discuss. You could not help but smile that he brought it up, though. One of his traits that endeared him to you was his work ethic. “You are viewing things from a more... _ personal _ standpoint.”

“Yes,” you answered, placing your hands together and taking a step nearer to him. You were hesitant to approach too swiftly. If he was not comfortable with such a personal conversation prior to conducting business, you would back off. He did not reject you in words or body language. “I know there are other poems regarding business and war. The senator knew this one, however there would have been others. If I am being honest, I do not want to stare at the same sky from two different places.” Your voice nearly cracked near the end, however you managed to keep it from doing so. Still, it lodged in your throat after those words were spoken.

Armitage walked away from the bed and met you where you stood. His eyes searched your face just as yours did the same to his. “I travel more than you do.” You felt your lips split into a grin, and you shook your head. His sense of humor was not what you had expected given the situation. You felt his hand on your cheek before you registered that he had reached for you. As his other hand moved to the other side, your eyes widened and you placed your limbs upon his chest. “Do you know the depth of your feelings yet?”

“No.” You could not and would not lie to him. “I care for Kylo Ren as well.” Except it was a different sort of caring, though still you remained hesitant to admit to this aloud. Armitage traced along your bottom lip with his thumb then moved in for a kiss. You appreciated his understanding nature. It proved to you--unless you were somehow, and drastically, reading him wrong--that he was looking at the bigger picture, at the long term. He was allowing you to explore within reason your emotions for both of them. As he drew back from the first kiss, you shifted forward. “I will not string either of you along.”

“I know,” he murmured against your lips before kissing you again. This time you allowed yourself to melt into the kiss. You slid your hands upwards on his chest and wound your arms around his neck. Your fingers skimmed along his hair though you were careful to not rustle it too much. There would be time for that later. That thought coupled with the feel of his lips, his tongue, drew a moan from your throat. You started to pull back as a thought occurred to you. “I know you kissed him, hush.”

You were more than willing to oblige, and the sudden guilt that had threatened to plague you disappeared. Armitage sat on the edge of the bed, and you climbed onto his lap, straddling him. Your fingers danced along his hair then down to his neck and shoulders. You smoothed them along his chest. He, meanwhile, groped your ass, rolling your hips against his. Another moan left you. You rocked against him, the pair of you groaning in desire--desire that could not be fulfilled, not immediately. It was too close to the meeting now and his commlink was ringing.

“Work never waits,” he said, breaking the kiss and reaching for the commlink with one hand while stroking along your lower back with the other. “You don’t have to leave.”

“Mm.” You were grateful for this. Leaning your head against his shoulder, you kissed his throat, felt it bob as he swallowed in response to the attention. Armitage answered the call with voice only and placed the commlink beside his ear. You remained cuddled against him while he conducted business, none of which was anything beyond your clearance level. It was comfortable there. You did not mind that the kisses had been forced to come to an end. His light petting kept you from thinking of matters that would induce stress. And you knew, more than you had before, that you truly cared about this man and enjoyed how he treated you.

Later, sitting in the meeting reminded you of how you lacked a fondness for the politics of business. This was in part due to the fact that you would, very soon, be properly proposing your projects to the board at the First Order. The finer details required more work, and you had hoped to finish the TIE project for Millicent before undertaking anything that would require more of your attention. It could be time-consuming largely because you had to then ensure that other programmers working for the First Order could take over when you were finished. If they could not handle smaller issues and upgrades that might arise, you had not done very well in helping the First Order. Due to these droids being ones you genuinely hoped were adopted at a rate that assisted stormtroopers and officers alike--perhaps civilians down the line--you did not want to chance frustrations causing a discontinuation.

This, naturally, was where it suited you to be present for this meeting, and it was why you had been content to accompany General Hux and Kylo Ren there. Superior quality materials in the droids would result in fewer issues; malfunctions that had nothing to do with the programming was also known to cause discontinuations. Aelin had offered you a brief outline on his preferred components and materials, both of which the company provided. One of the issues with this was ensuring that the company did not run its mouth and thus out the First Order as hoarding materials or weaponry.

You refrained from chewing on your bottom lip. Your eyes flicked along the table as you took in the faces of those seated. There were no cruel expressions. Kylo Ren wore his mask, which likely hid his boredom. He was present as a formality; it was General Hux and Aelin who would be doing the majority of the speaking. You would chime in where needed, possibly to humor the senator, who was also there.

The notes that you had brought for when you did speak came in handy within the last quarter of an hour since the meeting had begun to get fully underway. There were questions from the suppliers regarding liability and what sort of order loads should be expected. The New Republic was vigilant--to an extent, you thought while inwardly rolling your eyes--when it came to weaponry being developed. That was where your proposal for medically beneficial droids aided in easing the consciences of the suppliers and their lawyers. Truthfully, you found the meeting to be nothing more than a superfluous formality the more time dragged on. It was clear that the First Order’s business was plenty welcome. They wanted the credits. This was checking boxes to cover the asses of all involved.

Which, of course, meant that the senator was present for snooping purposes. How droll.

“Now, you say that this project has not been officially accepted?” one of the lawyers asked.

General Hux waved a hand dismissively. “I can say with certainty that if this specific project is rejected, its proposal will be modified to better reflect our needs. At which time, you will be made aware of any changes that could hold a risk to your business.” You wondered if any portion of this statement was a lie. Not that you ultimately cared; you knew that the project was something useful to the First Order. Its success meant less training newer officers and stormtroopers to replace those whose therapy post-injury kept them off the battlefield. This would be most appealing to superior officers. They would see the appeal for themselves, and they were the ones you would be making the proposal to.

“Unlike our competitor, we do not cut corners.” A fact that had been stated and reiterated multiple times already. “In return, we hope that you do not either.” A pause, which you knew was for dramatic effect. “We would like a copy of the project proposal once it has been approved.” You felt a different sort of heat than you had earlier experienced spiraling throughout your body. Anger coiled.

“Is this a threat?” Kylo Ren was the one to speak, and you jumped in place at the unexpected sound of his voice. The others in the room appeared to lose their nerve. “That is First Order property.”

General Hux nodded in agreement, and you felt the anger begin to ebb. This, you knew, was why you felt fondly for both men. Why you respected them--because they respected you.

* * *

**[Poly Route]**

The silence that stretched on nearly suffocated you until realization dawned that you had to stop holding your breath. If he spoke, Kylo Ren would ensure that you heard his words. The guarded expression on his face failed to falter. You parted your lips and fully intended to speak yet the words died on your tongue. He, too, had opened his mouth. Kylo Ren paused at the same time you had, his lips thinning out into a frown. You began to observe his eyes more closely. They were in constant motion, flitting along your face as though in search of something. He may have been waiting for you to speak again. Had he noticed the mounting apprehension within you? Kylo Ren shifted forward. He propped himself up with both hands on either side of your head. His body skimmed along the length of yours without its weight being pressed against you.

Gaze locked with his, you reached up to touch his chest. He felt warm under your palms, the heat radiating through the material of his shirt. You wanted to touch his bare skin. “I was not wrong,” you said. There lingered a question on the edge of those words, as though you half expected him to contradict you despite the fact that your resolve had strengthened.

Kylo Ren released a noncommittal grunt and moved a hand to your face. You leaned into his touch, your chest rising then falling in a heavy sigh. It was comfortable to be there with him. You no longer worried about his judgment, and you were more certain now that you had guessed correctly, which gave you a boost of confidence. You knew him, you had seen through him in a rather intimate way. More than that, Kylo Ren had been the one to expose himself. He had welcomed you. Armitage had as well. Affection for both men flooded you. You shifted your hands up from Kylo Ren’s chest to his face and drew him down into a kiss.

He began to explore your body with his hands. Instead of stopping him, you moaned in approval and seized hold of his wrist to direct the limb onto your breast. His long fingers kneaded the mounds, his thumb skimming along the covered nipple, rocking it back and forth, making it harden. With his other hand, Kylo Ren moved your legs apart and worked himself between them. He ground against you, evidence of his arousal making you moan at its size. You locked your legs around his waist, meeting his thrusts by undulating your body.

“This might not be a good idea if we go too far,” you said, causing him to pause. You shook your head and sought his face with your hands. “This...with clothes, I mean…” A nod, as though that was all that was necessary. And it was--Kylo read your expression and gained the answer to whatever question may have existed. He resumed kissing you, rolling his hips and thrusting against your body in a way that built up the friction. Jolts of pleasure traveled throughout you, causing you to release a shuddering breath that preceded a moan.

His tongue began to explore your mouth in full, running along the roof then dancing with yours. You let your hands wander his body and tried to familiarize yourself with him. Each muscle, every strand of hair as you raked your fingers through his locks. You did not know if you could ever grow accustomed to this in that it would forever be a marvel. Something precious, someone you felt comfortable with--someone that reminded you that you were human rather than a machine.

Another moan was drawn from you as your arousal continued to build. There was a shift along your clit though he had not removed his hands from your breasts. You were in awe over his power, marveling at the way he used the Force. It erased all thoughts from your head aside from how good it felt for him to touch you. You were mesmerized by his body moving so perfectly with yours, the strength and control behind his movements. The way you could already picture him fucking you in full. The invisible Force tendrils swirled, rolling your clit in the opposite direction of how Kylo’s thumbs manipulated your nipples.

“Oh,” you whined, any subsequent noises swallowed by his mouth. His tongue explored yours, battled to pin yours down. You would have laughed into the kiss had you not been more preoccupied with moaning as heat coursed through your body. It shot through you like spiderwebs, electrifying your skin so that each and every touch made you feel as though you had been ignited. The fires merged, consuming you. Your vision blurred, your cunt clenching around nothing. Kylo Ren again muffled your moans with his moan. He grunted as well, still thrusting his body against yours, rolling his hips, seeking his own release.

You were gasping, still a mess and recovering your breath as he growled out and came. His hips collided with yours, Kylo Ren not ceasing until he had finished. Only then did he roll off of you. You ran a hand along the top of your head. Your eyes were wide and you were staring up at the ceiling. Your mind had drifted to thoughts of the painting that he had sent you. There were footsteps on the other side, first one set and then another, these ones traveling in the opposite direction compared with the previous.

“Is there more for you to do to be prepared?” It took you a second to consider his question and what he was referring to. The man switched gears rather easily. You pinched the bridge of your nose and mentally ran through anything that might assist you during the upcoming meeting. Unlike in other cases, you would not likely be taking lead on the conversation.

A sigh escaped from you as you realized that, though you wanted to remain there with him, you had to leave Kylo Ren’s room. There were details that Aelin would be able to go over with you, and you also hoped to work with him to state what information regarding your tentative projects that were under no condition to be released. He would have a vague idea, yet you would not allow room for error. You shifted off of the bed and stood near the piece of furniture while turning to face Kylo Ren.

“After the meeting, I hope to have time to discuss matters with you and General Hux.” A twitch of his jaw. “Separately.” His expression was difficult to read, though you could tell that he was not offended. His hands remained relaxed and he offered you a small nod. “Uhm...thanks though.” You said this in an attempt to draw a reaction, and you met with success as his eyes pinched in the corners, amusement. When next you were in the same room, he would be behind a wall that shielded all of his emotions. Behind a mask that hid his face from your view. “I hope that you feel comfortable continuing to message me.”

There was no need to wait for an answer that you would not come. It was a statement that placed a sort of burden on his shoulders in that you had not discussed matters with General Hux. There was no clear plan as to how things would proceed. Then, too, there was the fact that now you would know it was him. Hiding behind a screen was different when one was anonymous compared with when one was known. You exited the room and headed for the one that you shared with Aelin.

For quite a period, you and Aelin discussed matters, which resulted in you also being able to add to the various notes you had already created for the project. There were considerations you had in regards to older projects, too, that you wanted to check in on. One of the training droids that you had assisted in programming had been passed onto another programmer that had trained under your supervision. From time to time you pulled her onto other projects. Her name had already been included on your list alongside Eddard’s for the upcoming project presentation. She did not complain when you delegated tasks ot her, and she would be more than willing to jump in if there was ever a time the assassination droid lines conflicted with the schedule for the physical therapy and anti-procrastination droids.

Once you had exhausted the conversation as much as you were willing to--in part because your mind had begun to continuously drift to General Hux--you and Aelin wrapped things up with an agreed-upon timetable for projects and team meetings. There remained a little stretch of time before the meeting was scheduled, and you hoped that you could catch General Hux before then. Knowing for certain that he had sent the poem, you wanted to ask him if he had read the other piece. You dressed in the attire that you knew would offer the best impression with the suppliers and senator then headed out, your bag at the ready with what project notes you would be willing to share should either Kylo Ren or General Hux have you speak.

Unsurprisingly, Armitage had not left his room. Or, if he had, he had since returned and was also readying for the work to come. He permitted you entrance then walked over to the bed on which there were strewn a few datapads and a commlink. “I know that you sent the poem,” you said after the door had closed. His hand paused just as he had reached for one of the datapads. He looked at you, nodded, and slid his gaze back towards the device.

“There have been other senators interested in the arts. I wanted to ensure you were well equipped. No need to exhaust yourself before the meeting.” That particular item was not what you wanted to discuss. You could not help but smile that he brought it up, though. One of his traits that endeared him to you was his work ethic. “You are viewing things from a more... _ personal _ standpoint.”

“Yes,” you answered, placing your hands together and taking a step nearer to him. You were hesitant to approach too swiftly. If he was not comfortable with such a personal conversation prior to conducting business, you would back off. He did not reject you in words or body language. “I know there are other poems regarding business and war. The senator knew this one, however there would have been others. If I am being honest, I do not want to stare at the same sky from two different places.” Your voice nearly cracked near the end, however you managed to keep it from doing so. Still, it lodged in your throat after those words were spoken.

Armitage walked away from the bed and met you where you stood. His eyes searched your face just as yours did the same to his. “I travel more than you do.” You felt your lips split into a grin, and you shook your head. His sense of humor was not what you had expected given the situation. You felt his hand on your cheek before you registered that he had reached for you. As his other hand moved to the other side, your eyes widened and you placed your limbs upon his chest. “Do you know the depth of your feelings yet?”

“No.” You could not and would not lie to him. “I care for Kylo Ren as well.” Except it was a different sort of caring, though still you remained hesitant to admit to this aloud. Armitage traced along your bottom lip with his thumb then moved in for a kiss. You appreciated his understanding nature. It proved to you--unless you were somehow, and drastically, reading him wrong--that he was looking at the bigger picture, at the long term. He was allowing you to explore within reason your emotions for both of them. As he drew back from the first kiss, you shifted forward. “I will not string either of you along.”

“I know,” he murmured against your lips before kissing you again. This time you allowed yourself to melt into the kiss. You slid your hands upwards on his chest and wound your arms around his neck. Your fingers skimmed along his hair though you were careful to not rustle it too much. There would be time for that later. That thought coupled with the feel of his lips, his tongue, drew a moan from your throat. You started to pull back as a thought occurred to you. “I could hear the two of you.” Maker, your entire body felt suddenly ignited on fire. You tried to pull away, however he caught you. “I am not uncomfortable with it--are you?” You shook your head. “Then don’t worry.”

You were more than willing to oblige, and the sudden guilt that had threatened to plague you disappeared. Armitage sat on the edge of the bed, and you climbed onto his lap, straddling him. Your fingers danced along his hair then down to his neck and shoulders. You smoothed them along his chest. He, meanwhile, groped your ass, rolling your hips against his. Another moan left you. You rocked against him, the pair of you groaning in desire--desire that could not be fulfilled, not immediately. It was too close to the meeting now and his commlink was ringing.

“Work never waits,” he said, breaking the kiss and reaching for the commlink with one hand while stroking along your lower back with the other. “You don’t have to leave.”

“Mm.” You were grateful for this. Leaning your head against his shoulder, you kissed his throat, felt it bob as he swallowed in response to the attention. Armitage answered the call with voice only and placed the commlink beside his ear. You remained cuddled against him while he conducted business, none of which was anything beyond your clearance level. It was comfortable there. You did not mind that the kisses had been forced to come to an end. His light petting kept you from thinking of matters that would induce stress. And you knew, more than you had before, that you truly cared about this man and enjoyed how he treated you.

Later, sitting in the meeting reminded you of how you lacked a fondness for the politics of business. This was in part due to the fact that you would, very soon, be properly proposing your projects to the board at the First Order. The finer details required more work, and you had hoped to finish the TIE project for Millicent before undertaking anything that would require more of your attention. It could be time-consuming largely because you had to then ensure that other programmers working for the First Order could take over when you were finished. If they could not handle smaller issues and upgrades that might arise, you had not done very well in helping the First Order. Due to these droids being ones you genuinely hoped were adopted at a rate that assisted stormtroopers and officers alike--perhaps civilians down the line--you did not want to chance frustrations causing a discontinuation.

This, naturally, was where it suited you to be present for this meeting, and it was why you had been content to accompany General Hux and Kylo Ren there. Superior quality materials in the droids would result in fewer issues; malfunctions that had nothing to do with the programming was also known to cause discontinuations. Aelin had offered you a brief outline on his preferred components and materials, both of which the company provided. One of the issues with this was ensuring that the company did not run its mouth and thus out the First Order as hoarding materials or weaponry.

You refrained from chewing on your bottom lip. Your eyes flicked along the table as you took in the faces of those seated. There were no cruel expressions. Kylo Ren wore his mask, which likely hid his boredom. He was present as a formality; it was General Hux and Aelin who would be doing the majority of the speaking. You would chime in where needed, possibly to humor the senator, who was also there.

The notes that you had brought for when you did speak came in handy within the last quarter of an hour since the meeting had begun to get fully underway. There were questions from the suppliers regarding liability and what sort of order loads should be expected. The New Republic was vigilant--to an extent, you thought while inwardly rolling your eyes--when it came to weaponry being developed. That was where your proposal for medically beneficial droids aided in easing the consciences of the suppliers and their lawyers. Truthfully, you found the meeting to be nothing more than a superfluous formality the more time dragged on. It was clear that the First Order’s business was plenty welcome. They wanted the credits. This was checking boxes to cover the asses of all involved.

Which, of course, meant that the senator was present for snooping purposes. How droll.

“Now, you say that this project has not been officially accepted?” one of the lawyers asked.

General Hux waved a hand dismissively. “I can say with certainty that if this specific project is rejected, its proposal will be modified to better reflect our needs. At which time, you will be made aware of any changes that could hold a risk to your business.” You wondered if any portion of this statement was a lie. Not that you ultimately cared; you knew that the project was something useful to the First Order. Its success meant less training newer officers and stormtroopers to replace those whose therapy post-injury kept them off the battlefield. This would be most appealing to superior officers. They would see the appeal for themselves, and they were the ones you would be making the proposal to.

“Unlike our competitor, we do not cut corners.” A fact that had been stated and reiterated multiple times already. “In return, we hope that you do not either.” A pause, which you knew was for dramatic effect. “We would like a copy of the project proposal once it has been approved.” You felt a different sort of heat than you had earlier experienced spiraling throughout your body. Anger coiled.

“Is this a threat?” Kylo Ren was the one to speak, and you jumped in place at the unexpected sound of his voice. The others in the room appeared to lose their nerve. “That is First Order property.”

General Hux nodded in agreement, and you felt the anger begin to ebb. This, you knew, was why you felt fondly for both men. Why you respected them--because they respected you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more differences between routes as things proceed in the fic. This chapter only had subtle differences, I know.


	16. Warmth

** Error: Program Not Found **

_“True beauty is a warm heart, a kind soul, and an attentive ear.” - Ken Poirot_

Sixteen: Warmth

**[Kylo Route]**

Frustrations mounted as the conversations proceeded and the suppliers worked to secure agreements that would offer them leverage with which to offer themselves a sense of security. You could not, in all honesty, say that you blamed them. That did not equate agreement nor did it eliminate the disgust that bubbled within you. There was little concern that your projects would be used as collateral damage or become some sort of casualty in the negotiations. Aelin and you shared glances with one another as General Hux cut off one of the representatives that was trying to speak. You leaned back in your chair, working to make yourself more comfortable now that you were plenty aware that the meeting would last longer than you had anticipated.

Zoning out would be an impediment; on the off-chance that you were addressed again, you wanted to ensure that you remained alert so as to not inadvertently offer the suppliers ammunition, feeble though it might be. Arguments that you were inattentive would not break the deal. It would, however, prolong this discussion further.

You allowed your mind to wander a fraction, tuning in to the conversation every few seconds. While in your head, you recalled how it had felt earlier when Kylo had touched you. How comfortable you had been, the things he had easily done to your body. You would have thought about how he had made you cum--Maker, you clenched--but you did not want to become too flustered, not in this setting. Your earlier orgasm was proving to help keep you more relaxed than you might have been otherwise. That feeling of satisfaction was a high that you were plenty willing to ride on. The pleasant memory allowed you to achieve an improved mood in the minutes that lapsed before you were addressed. When you were spoken to, you answered in shorter sentences yet with a light tone that assisted in preventing hurt feelings.

For the final portion of the meeting, only Kylo Ren and General Hux reamined along with their stormtrooper guards. You and Aelin drifted back towards your shared room to discuss what had occurred. Aelin was equally dissatisfied with how the suppliers had worked to obtain more information on your project. Given that he was the one to propose the anti-procrastination droids, you knew that he understood your stance more than the others could. “They would be able to sell off the details along with the parts. Even if they did not have the full programming, there would be enough there for them to create competition.”

“Sell it to First Order enemies,” you said whilst cupping your chin with one hand, the elbow of which was rested on the flat surface of the table. “Even if they do not replicate it, they would be working to hack into the systems and have something of a headstart.The amount of information they demanded and the senator’s presence has me wondering if there is double-dipping that already exists.”

Aelin nodded without verbally responding. He was multitasking, reading over your presentation even as he listened to you. Once he completed reading it over and suggesting corrections, you would have your final draft. The meeting with the suppliers had prompted you to add details that you had previously left off. It had also inspired you to make notes for the tentative assassination droid project. You reached to the side and dragged your datapd closer to you to once more check the newer passages. There would not be a proper proposal that you would be forced to present for this project; it was being assigned to you by the First Order, which lessened your workload for the time being.

“I think you have done a thorough job. Omitting the emphasis on usage amongst stormtroopers was wise given your audience.” You bit down on the insides of your cheeks to keep from grinning too broadly. You did allow yourself a small smile to display your amusement. “At least for the physical therapy droids. Stating that the anti-procrastination droids would assist with the newer stormtroopers, that might gain favor.”

You were relatively certain that you had a draft of your presentation that contained such information, and you minimized the file that you were working on to pull it up on your datapad. There was only a fraction of the segment that was usable with how your presentation now ran. You passed the datapad over to Aelin while pointing out that portion. He was not sold on the wording, however, and began to type a new paragraph underneath the one you had previously written so that you could compare what he was saying to what you had. 

What you had believed to be your penultimate draft swiftly transformed into two versions before even that. You had to summarize other portions so as to not extend the presentation beyond the allotted time. Debating what could be cut and what needed to be added was a minor source of frustration. You heard yourself growling in irritation, the noise earning a chuckle from Aelin. “I know that General Hux has stated there should be no issue with approval, however I refuse to half-ass this presentation,” you said, glowering at the report on the screen. “I do not want them to underestimate how long this might take.”

“Mm. They want you on the other project as well. Do they plan for you to work on them simultaneously?” You nodded despite not being entirely certain; you were relatively sure, however, and were confident enough to state that you would be surprised if that was not demanded of you. “In that case, I will make a few versions for you to pick from. You have everything you need here. Go relax. I’ve traveled more recently than you have for leisure.”

You pursed your lips forward without arguing. It was a generous offer that he was making, and Aelin was one of the few individuals you trusted to the extent necessary to leave the final draft of the presentation to. You ran your hands down along your hips and gave a single nod. Maker knew that you did want to clear your mind from what had been happening in your life this past stretch. On top of that, it was unknown when you would be on the ground again like this. With two major projects looming ahead of you--plus, of course, anything else that came up--your scheduled was going to be more jam-packed than it already had been.

“I appreciate it,” you said, standing and moving to grab more comfortable clothing to venture out in. You changed in the refresher, gave Aelin another wave, and headed out.

It was true that since first being contracted by the First Order, you had not been granted much leisure time while on planets wherein you could enjoy recreational activities. With business wrapped up and Aelin willing to assist, you were only too happy to make your way towards the museum. Ever since Kylo had sent you the painting, you had felt yourself craving more artworks. This particular museum boasted a large collection of sculptures and paintings among other pieces in its gallery. The exterior was a bright stone with steps leading to its entrance. It was not a full flight, thus did not take long to climb. You slipped through the transparisteel doors as they parted. There was not a large crowd; you were grateful for this, not having to worry about lines or unwanted contact. After the meeting with the suppliers and spending time with the senator, you wanted nothing more than to relax your mind.

You picked up one of the brochures without flipping through it and walked in the direction of the gallery. There were even less people in this section of the museum than at the entrance. Given that there was a sort of darkly robed spectre walking from one painting to another as you arrived, you could not say that you were surprised. His presence did not catch you off guard for more than a handful of seconds. It merely caused you pause that he would admire art in a more open area such as the gallery rather than utilizing the Holonet.

Trailing along after him, you took time to stop by a few pieces that started to catch your eye. One such piece was a sculpture of some deity that belonged to the planet. This was not some large creature; it was humanoid in shape, seemingly genderless. The being did not wear armor, but was instead depicted as wearing fine silks and a small crown. A lack of jewels offered a simplistic impression that for some reason drew you to this sculpture.

Footsteps headed in your direction, the noises heavy and echoing a little in the nearly vacant gallery. You tilted your head to the side, continuing to inspect the piece without worrying about who it was that was joining you. You did not want to do anything that would cause Kylo to change his mind. He stopped when the pair of you were practically shoulder to shoulder then he turned and faced the sculpture. His mask brought a smile to your face despite the fact that its presence was a source of frustration due to it preventing you from being able to see his expression as he examined art. All of this might have meant nothing to him at all. Or perhaps he was searching for impressions of the Force.

“The Protector.” You blinked as he rumbled out the title. Next you lowered your gaze in order to read the nameplate, upon which those two words were engraved. “It’s a twin.” A quick gesture of his hand prompted you to twist and gaze upon a second sculpture that was several feet away. It too was genderless; this one, however, wore armor. You hummed in thought.

Curiosity got the better of you, and you broke away from Kylo Ren in order to read the title of The Protector’s twin. It was The Guardian. The twin deities, you read, guided souls into life and into death. They were Masters of the Force, which allowed you to understand why it was that Kylo Ren had been drawn into this museum. You traced the letters on the plaque by the sculpture, returned your limb to your side, and turned to look at him. He had not looked away from the first sculpture. Your eyes dropped down to his hands, which had started to curl though were not full fists.

“I do not recall hearing any stories about these two.”

“No.” Kylo Ren at last adjusted his stance, half-turning to better acknowledge you. “The Emperor ensured that.” You sucked your lips into your mouth and remembered how the Jedi and the Force had been treated by the Empire from which the First Order had later arisen. You did not share all ideologies; when it came to the Force, you were a novice. Kylo Ren had been your first true contact with it.

You shifted nearer to him, pausing a foot away. “I have to admit, I am growing academically curious.” Here he finished turning and closed the last few inches of distance. The visor of his mask was pointed at your face. Your heart felt as though it fluttered in your chest. Tingling sensations spread through your body, shooting towards the tips of your fingers. These samples of how others celebrated the existence of the Force were not so easily discovered unless one searched for them. That Kylo Ren was clearly such a being, that he was scholarly in his pursuits of knowledge on this mystic power over which he had some control, increased the respect you had for him. It also instilled in you a sense of curiosity so strong that you wanted to study alongside him. “Do they have a library with the tales?” 

Despite having expected a negative answer--in part due to Kylo Ren’s words regarding the late Emperor--you experienced a wave of disappointment when he shook his head. Multiple worlds had purged their collections of texts and artifacts of the Force. Some had been compelled to do so, and still others had endured the Empire seizing all that remained.

Kylo tilted his head to the left then turned, walking a step away from you before pausing. You swallowed down the sudden apprehension that you felt, the mynocks flapping around in your stomach, and joined his side. Only as you were nearly shoulder to shoulder with him did Kylo Ren take another step. He led you to one of the paintings that you had failed to notice. This one depicted a battle, the bottom portion of the canvas littered with gore. You wrinkled your nose at the sight, not entirely disgusted so much as unsure why he had taken you to this piece of all the ones in the gallery.

“A holy war.” The depth of his voice earned a shudder with how it caused the words to flow in such a dispassionate, robotic way. Your eyes searched the canvas and you quickly recognized The Protector and The Guardian. They were locked in battle with a third being, this one also humanoid, that wore a crown more resplendent than theirs. “The Protector was the light, the Guardian the dark in their dyad.”

There was pressure in your chest as Kylo spoke to you. Because he was not one to spend much time on dialogue, that he was telling you more of these deities held a greater weight. Your gaze flicked over to him only to return to the painting as he continued to speak to you, his sentences clipped, exact.

“As mortals learned to wield the Force, there were gods that sought to end their existence.” Your lips parted. The corpses littering the bottom portion of the canvas did resemble the natives of the planet that you were on. “The twins believed this would create an imbalance.” You waited, holding your breath for him to say more. Instead Kylo moved away from the painting and headed in the direction of another work of art. You shuffled forward to keep up with him.

The pair of you paused as a painting caught your eye. You backtracked, and Kylo turned to rejoin you. It was a simple piece, merely a garden with flowers that you had never before encountered in person. The colors calmed you. This allowed you to think more on what Kylo had said, let you wonder how it was that he knew these things. Did the Force whisper to those that could wield its power? Or had there been texts from the planet that Kylo Ren himself had been permitted to read? You traced the flowers with your eyes, considering the man standing beside you after appreciating the painting.

“Did the people continue to worship the gods that wished them dead after the holy war ended?”

“Of course,” he rumbled. There was an unspoken _that’s how people are programmed_ that might have existed in your mind even if his tone had not suggested it. You nodded, unsurprised, and sighed a second later. There were ways that people were not so different from droids, and this was one of them--accepting things without changing their opinion. Complacency.

Moving in unison, the two of you walked side by side to a sculpture that was of a creature that was either fictional or extinct; you were not so well versed in the local fauna to know, and were not presently curious enough to ask. Kylo did not speak again. His expression remained hidden from you, which was causing a minor sense of frustration. You opened your mouth to comment on it then sealed your lips without speaking. A puff of air escaped him. This was the only indication you received that he was reading your mood, that he had seen you, before his hands lifted towards the helmet.

You held your breath as his hair tumbled out of the helmet. Its metal rose above his lips then his nose, higher than his brow. His features put all the sculptures to shame. You looked at nothing else, only him, your pupils dilated and lips parted. You pictured him challenging the deities of the planet, those who would have desired his death due to his capabilities with the Force. He would win, you thought. Kylo Ren set his gaze upon you. His expression was one of indifference, however it gave way to hints of amusement that you caught in the twitch of his lips, in how his eyes pinched near the corners.

Spending time on the planet with Kylo Ren was something that you were not going to forget any time soon; you kept running through how natural it had felt to be with him while you walked up the ramp of the transport that would return you and the others to the _Finalizer_. Aelin and you had gone over the various versions of the final draft of the proposal until you had settled on the one that best represented your work. You sat beside Aelin, however you continuously glanced up to locate Kylo, to see what he was doing. There was so much more that you wanted to know about him. Returning to the _Finalizer_ was not going to rob you of the opportunities that would allow you to do so. It might make them fewer in number, at least for the next week. This did not steal the feelings of warmth that had nestled in your chest. Agreeing to come to the meeting had been one of the better decisions you had recently made.

* * *

**[Hux Route]**

Frustrations mounted as the conversations proceeded and the suppliers worked to secure agreements that would offer them leverage with which to offer themselves a sense of security. You could not, in all honesty, say that you blamed them. That did not equate agreement nor did it eliminate the disgust that bubbled within you. There was little concern that your projects would be used as collateral damage or become some sort of casualty in the negotiations. Aelin and you shared glances with one another as General Hux cut off one of the representatives that was trying to speak. You leaned back in your chair, working to make yourself more comfortable now that you were plenty aware that the meeting would last longer than you had anticipated.

Zoning out would be an impediment; on the off-chance that you were addressed again, you wanted to ensure that you remained alert so as to not inadvertently offer the suppliers ammunition, feeble though it might be. Arguments that you were inattentive would not break the deal. It would, however, prolong this discussion further.

You allowed your mind to wander a fraction, tuning in to the conversation every few seconds. While in your head, you recalled how it had felt earlier when Armitage had kissed you, how he had touched you. How comfortable you had been, and how you had been able to relax with him even as he worked. Whenever you began to think of how his tongue had felt along the roof of your mouth, your toes curled. It was far too easy to wonder what else that tongue was capable of. Such thoughts, however, would be too distracting. There was no need to fluster yourself to that extent. The pleasant memory allowed you to achieve an improved mood in the minutes that lapsed before you were addressed. When you were spoken to, you answered in shorter sentences yet with a light tone that assisted in preventing hurt feelings.

For the final portion of the meeting, only Kylo Ren and General Hux reamined along with their stormtrooper guards. You and Aelin drifted back towards your shared room to discuss what had occurred. Aelin was equally dissatisfied with how the suppliers had worked to obtain more information on your project. Given that he was the one to propose the anti-procrastination droids, you knew that he understood your stance more than the others could. “They would be able to sell off the details along with the parts. Even if they did not have the full programming, there would be enough there for them to create competition.”

“Sell it to First Order enemies,” you said whilst cupping your chin with one hand, the elbow of which was rested on the flat surface of the table. “Even if they do not replicate it, they would be working to hack into the systems and have something of a headstart.The amount of information they demanded and the senator’s presence has me wondering if there is double-dipping that already exists.”

Aelin nodded without verbally responding. He was multitasking, reading over your presentation even as he listened to you. Once he completed reading it over and suggesting corrections, you would have your final draft. The meeting with the suppliers had prompted you to add details that you had previously left off. It had also inspired you to make notes for the tentative assassination droid project. You reached to the side and dragged your datapd closer to you to once more check the newer passages. There would not be a proper proposal that you would be forced to present for this project; it was being assigned to you by the First Order, which lessened your workload for the time being.

“I think you have done a thorough job. Omitting the emphasis on usage amongst stormtroopers was wise given your audience.” You bit down on the insides of your cheeks to keep from grinning too broadly. You did allow yourself a small smile to display your amusement. “At least for the physical therapy droids. Stating that the anti-procrastination droids would assist with the newer stormtroopers, that might gain favor.”

You were relatively certain that you had a draft of your presentation that contained such information, and you minimized the file that you were working on to pull it up on your datapad. There was only a fraction of the segment that was usable with how your presentation now ran. You passed the datapad over to Aelin while pointing out that portion. He was not sold on the wording, however, and began to type a new paragraph underneath the one you had previously written so that you could compare what he was saying to what you had.

What you had believed to be your penultimate draft swiftly transformed into two versions before even that. You had to summarize other portions so as to not extend the presentation beyond the allotted time. Debating what could be cut and what needed to be added was a minor source of frustration. You heard yourself growling in irritation, the noise earning a chuckle from Aelin. “I know that General Hux has stated there should be no issue with approval, however I refuse to half-ass this presentation,” you said, glowering at the report on the screen. “I do not want them to underestimate how long this might take.”

“Mm. They want you on the other project as well. Do they plan for you to work on them simultaneously?” You nodded despite not being entirely certain; you were relatively sure, however, and were confident enough to state that you would be surprised if that was not demanded of you. “In that case, I will make a few versions for you to pick from. You have everything you need here. Go relax. I’ve traveled more recently than you have for leisure.”

You pursed your lips forward without arguing. It was a generous offer that he was making, and Aelin was one of the few individuals you trusted to the extent necessary to leave the final draft of the presentation to. You ran your hands down along your hips and gave a single nod. Maker knew that you did want to clear your mind from what had been happening in your life this past stretch. On top of that, it was unknown when you would be on the ground again like this. With two major projects looming ahead of you--plus, of course, anything else that came up--your scheduled was going to be more jam-packed than it already had been.

“I appreciate it,” you said, standing and moving to grab more comfortable clothing to venture out in. You changed in the refresher, gave Aelin another wave, and headed out.

There was much that the planet had to offer in terms of scenery; the poem that General Hux had sent you repeated in your head. Durasteel walls, you thought. Your eyes scanned the trees, the flowers, the fruits. A part of you would miss all of this when you returned to the _Finalizer_. Another thing that you would miss would be the tea. It had been something that you quite liked, and knowing that there were various blends had interested you in pursuing a shop so that you could buy some. Being able to travel this way was a perk of working with the First Order. You loved to try new beverages and foods.

Spotting a tea shop, you crossed the street and headed towards its door. It was simplistic in structure when compared with some of the neighboring stores, although this did not cause any of the buildings to clash with one another. You walked through the doors and inhaled the scent of tea being brewed. You scanned the interior, which was sectioned off with simplistic dividers. There was a small area in which one could sit and enjoy a cup of tea such as what was being brewed. Another section contained many of the blends, meanwhile a third area allowed for small samples. The fourth and final section contained miscellaneous items for sale including kettles and infusers.

It was in the third section that you had spotted familiar red hair, however you ventured over to the fourth section so that you could watch him a little while in unison with pricing some of the kettles. General Hux lifted one of the tea samples while you touched the price tag of a smaller kettle. It was more than what you were wanting to spend, although this did not mean you would not if its quality justified the cost. For the time being, however, you moved on to the next kettle. General Hux brought the sample to his lips and took a small sip. You studied his face from the angle you were at before leaning slightly to the left in order to better view his expression. His lips pressed firmly together, albeit not exactly in a frown. It appeared as though he was indecisive about that particular brew.

As he reached for a second sample, his hand paused and his eyes landed on you. Your lips began to spread into a small smile and you offered a small wave, nothing that would attract a lot of attention outside of its intended recipient. You mouthed a _hi_ that earned a nod of greeting. You took this as enough of a reason to walk away from the kettles and wander over to join him. “Have you found any that you like yet?” you asked when you arrived at his side. Armitage gestured to one of the teas that was to his right. You checked the name and grabbed the available sample to try it for yourself.

This tea was sweeter than tarine yet more bitter than the one that Aelin had ordered for you. You preferred this blend to the other, and Armitage voiced his agreement on this matter. This did not surprise you what with tarine tea being his favorite. You hummed in thought, walked to another sample. Armitage joined you though he did not pick up a sample cup nor pour himself any. This had been one of the first teas that he had sampled so his opinion was already formed. You eyed him, waiting for him to elaborate. Instead he teased you, stating that you had to form an opinion without any bias. You nearly rolled your eyes at his words--not that you did not appreciate them, as you did agree with him.

This tea was _too_ sweet for your tastes, and it was clear that a sweetner had been added to the brew. You sucked your lips into your mouth, turned to locate the trash, and deposited the cup into it. You looked back at Armitage to find him smirking at you. “That is how I regarded the tea you had me taste.” A strange sort of payback, one that amused rather than offended or upset you. You rolled your eyes at him. “Do you plan on purchasing any?” He reached for a box while asking you. There were some teas pre-filled in boxes and others that were in canisters that would be measured out per each order.

You moved back over to the tea that you had tried before this last one. This one was in a canister, which you tapped with your nails then lifted up, cradling it gently in your grasp. “Yes. A kettle as well.” Together the pair of you walked towards the main desk so that the canister of tea did not weigh you down while you once more browsed through the various kettles. General Hux added his input, which dissuaded you from buying one of the kettles that you had been seriously debating grabbing.

After buying the tea and kettle, you followed Armitage out of the tea shop and towards another store, this one for books. The two of you had briefly discussed the sister poems, and you were wondering if the poet had any other works that stood out for you. This was outside of his comfort zone; it went beyond the war or preparing to rule the galaxy. You were eager to see his face if and when the two of you located more poetry. Did he mouth the words? Did he say them aloud?

“There are some texts that are harder to find,” he began while opening the door for you to walk ahead of him. “Senators in the New Republic pay quite a pretty sum to obtain them. And then allow them to collect dust on shelves, displayed there simply to show they could afford the piece though they do not care for it at all.”

“Disgusting,” you murmured, earning a soft hum of agreement. You stepped to the side until Armitage was inside the store as well. The clerk greeted both of you with a single word before turning back to their work, which appeared to you to be reading over an inventory list. General Hux walked in front of you and led the way to the poetry section of the store. His familiarity of the shop revealed that he had been there before, and it increased your curiosity.

His fingers shifted along the spines of several texts until he located the one that he had sought. Armitage pinched its edges, dragged it out, and began to flip through the pages. Your heart skipped a beat as you noticed the large price tag on another copy of the same book. Your gaze darted back and forth between it and General Hux’s hands. While true that he could afford it, you did not see him wanting to spend credits on something because he damaged it. You shifted your hands behind your back. Truth was, you could have afforded it as well, however you _definitely_ did not want to hand over the credits.

“Cute,” Armitage said in reference to your actions. You bit down on your lip and half-heartedly glared at him. You wanted to stick your tongue out, to tease him as well. You might have, too, had he not started to read one of the poems aloud. You closed your eyes and focused on his voice. Maker, you could listen to it for days, for the rest of your life. Its sound made you want to kiss him, yet you refrained due to knowing that it would silence that sound. As Armitage spoke, you heard him also take a step nearer. Felt his hip brush along yours. You reopened your eyes and pressed your hands to the front of his shirt. The book also helped to maintain some distance. “Would you like a copy?”

It was a generous offer, one that had you backtracking. Would it be inappropriate to accept it? Were there strings attached? Your mind raced, zipping through multiple scenarios. Each one led back to him. Every single one reminded you that you wanted to be with him. “Are you sure?”

“Of course,” he said while closing the book. He tilted it upwards, eliminating the last bit of distance before leaning down and capturing your lips with his. You slipped your hands upwards, traced his chest and arms then his face. “I would enjoy discussing these with you.” Another kiss, this time with his tongue tracing the contours of your mouth, slipping along yours. He tasted like tea. You pulled back, skimmed your nose along his. “Hm?”

You used one hand to touch the book in his grasp. “Will you read some of them to me when we return?” Both of you would be busy with the different projects that you were each leading. At the same time, you knew that he would have moments to spare. Time when he could sit with you and Millicent while he decompressed before switching to another task. Reading the poems together, talking about them, might help keep you sane.

Armitage traced the back of your hand with a lone finger. “Perhaps as a reward when you finish certain projects.” You nearly snorted; incentive would work well, which was amusing to you given that you were about to propose the production of anti-procrastination droids. “I will have to invite you to my quarters for tea--if you are comfortable with such an arrangement.”

“I would very much like that.”

Spending time on the planet with Armitage was something that you were not going to forget any time soon; you kept running through how natural it had felt to be with him while you walked up the ramp of the transport that would return you and the others to the _Finalizer_. Aelin and you had gone over the various versions of the final draft of the proposal until you had settled on the one that best represented your work. You sat beside Aelin, however you continuously glanced up to locate General Hux, to see what he was doing. There was so much more that you wanted to know about him. Returning to the _Finalizer_ was not going to rob you of the opportunities that would allow you to do so. It might make them fewer in number, at least for the next week. This did not steal the feelings of warmth that had nestled in your chest. Agreeing to come to the meeting had been one of the better decisions you had recently made.

* * *

**[Poly Route]**

Frustrations mounted as the conversations proceeded and the suppliers worked to secure agreements that would offer them leverage with which to offer themselves a sense of security. You could not, in all honesty, say that you blamed them. That did not equate agreement nor did it eliminate the disgust that bubbled within you. There was little concern that your projects would be used as collateral damage or become some sort of casualty in the negotiations. Aelin and you shared glances with one another as General Hux cut off one of the representatives that was trying to speak. You leaned back in your chair, working to make yourself more comfortable now that you were plenty aware that the meeting would last longer than you had anticipated.

Zoning out would be an impediment; on the off-chance that you were addressed again, you wanted to ensure that you remained alert so as to not inadvertently offer the suppliers ammunition, feeble though it might be. Arguments that you were inattentive would not break the deal. It would, however, prolong this discussion further.

You allowed your mind to wander a fraction, tuning in to the conversation every few seconds. While in your head, you recalled how it had felt earlier when Kylo had touched you. How comfortable you had been, the things he had easily done to your body. You would have thought about how he had made you cum--Maker, you clenched--but you did not want to become too flustered, not in this setting. Your earlier orgasm was proving to help keep you more relaxed than you might have been otherwise. 

Next you recalled how it had felt when Armitage had kissed you, how he had touched you. How comfortable you had been, and how you had been able to relax with him even as he worked. Whenever you began to think of how his tongue had felt along the roof of your mouth, your toes curled. It was far too easy to wonder what else that tongue was capable of. Such thoughts, however, would be too distracting. There was no need to fluster yourself to that extent

The pleasant memories allowed you to achieve an improved mood in the minutes that lapsed before you were addressed. When you were spoken to, you answered in shorter sentences yet with a light tone that assisted in preventing hurt feelings.

For the final portion of the meeting, only Kylo Ren and General Hux reamined along with their stormtrooper guards. You and Aelin drifted back towards your shared room to discuss what had occurred. Aelin was equally dissatisfied with how the suppliers had worked to obtain more information on your project. Given that he was the one to propose the anti-procrastination droids, you knew that he understood your stance more than the others could. “They would be able to sell off the details along with the parts. Even if they did not have the full programming, there would be enough there for them to create competition.”

“Sell it to First Order enemies,” you said whilst cupping your chin with one hand, the elbow of which was rested on the flat surface of the table. “Even if they do not replicate it, they would be working to hack into the systems and have something of a headstart.The amount of information they demanded and the senator’s presence has me wondering if there is double-dipping that already exists.”

Aelin nodded without verbally responding. He was multitasking, reading over your presentation even as he listened to you. Once he completed reading it over and suggesting corrections, you would have your final draft. The meeting with the suppliers had prompted you to add details that you had previously left off. It had also inspired you to make notes for the tentative assassination droid project. You reached to the side and dragged your datapd closer to you to once more check the newer passages. There would not be a proper proposal that you would be forced to present for this project; it was being assigned to you by the First Order, which lessened your workload for the time being.

“I think you have done a thorough job. Omitting the emphasis on usage amongst stormtroopers was wise given your audience.” You bit down on the insides of your cheeks to keep from grinning too broadly. You did allow yourself a small smile to display your amusement. “At least for the physical therapy droids. Stating that the anti-procrastination droids would assist with the newer stormtroopers, that might gain favor.”

You were relatively certain that you had a draft of your presentation that contained such information, and you minimized the file that you were working on to pull it up on your datapad. There was only a fraction of the segment that was usable with how your presentation now ran. You passed the datapad over to Aelin while pointing out that portion. He was not sold on the wording, however, and began to type a new paragraph underneath the one you had previously written so that you could compare what he was saying to what you had.

What you had believed to be your penultimate draft swiftly transformed into two versions before even that. You had to summarize other portions so as to not extend the presentation beyond the allotted time. Debating what could be cut and what needed to be added was a minor source of frustration. You heard yourself growling in irritation, the noise earning a chuckle from Aelin. “I know that General Hux has stated there should be no issue with approval, however I refuse to half-ass this presentation,” you said, glowering at the report on the screen. “I do not want them to underestimate how long this might take.”

“Mm. They want you on the other project as well. Do they plan for you to work on them simultaneously?” You nodded despite not being entirely certain; you were relatively sure, however, and were confident enough to state that you would be surprised if that was not demanded of you. “In that case, I will make a few versions for you to pick from. You have everything you need here. Go relax. I’ve traveled more recently than you have for leisure.”

You pursed your lips forward without arguing. It was a generous offer that he was making, and Aelin was one of the few individuals you trusted to the extent necessary to leave the final draft of the presentation to. You ran your hands down along your hips and gave a single nod. Maker knew that you did want to clear your mind from what had been happening in your life this past stretch. On top of that, it was unknown when you would be on the ground again like this. With two major projects looming ahead of you--plus, of course, anything else that came up--your scheduled was going to be more jam-packed than it already had been.

“I appreciate it,” you said, standing and moving to grab more comfortable clothing to venture out in. You changed in the refresher, gave Aelin another wave, and headed out.

With the weather being cooperative and there being nothing to occupy your schedule now that Aelin had volunteered, you were only too happy to take advantage of being on the planet and decided to explore it more thoroughly. There were shops, restaurants and a local museum. You hoped to visit a variety, though you were aware that this meant you could not linger in any specific place for too long. First and foremost you wanted to touch the petals of flowers, blades of grass, the bark of trees. Anything that the _Finalizer_ would not be able to offer you access to when you did return. You wandered over to one of the garden areas that had been sectioned off with a fence just outside of a restaurant. There were several individuals sitting in the shade either reading or enjoying their food. If it came down to the area being for paying customers only, you knew that you would not mind buying a light snack.

You selected one of the marble benches that was positioned directly under a tree and next to a flowering bush. As for the species, you were not sure however were assuming that it was nothing toxic. That would have been in poor taste, not to mention foolish given the fact that there were younglings present at the establishment as well as adult patrons. Your fingers skimmed along the edge of one of the leaves while you scanned the nearby businesses. You did want to sneak into the museum at some point to get a quick peek at some of the art. Having tasted the tea and enjoyed it, you also planned to duck into a tea shop before leaving.

The aroma of food wafted through the air and caught in your nostrils. Your stomach released a grumble that indicated it approved of the scent. There was a menu displayed on the exterior wall that held the specials offered by the restaurant. From what it contained, you guessed that this was one of the places that Aelin had stopped by when he had grabbed food for dinner. It was, more specifically, the restaurant that had served the dish Kylo Ren had eaten the majority of. You smiled to yourself and stood, walking over to the entrance with the intention of ordering yourself a small portion of it.

Two different counters allowed for take out & pick-up orders and dine-in orders to be taken separately. You walked to the former, ordered, and paid before moving to a nearby chair that was set up for the purpose of serving waiting customers. There was a small collection of potted herbs that was visible from where you sat. You read the labels, making a note to try to pick out which ones were used in the dish you had ordered. It did not take too long until your food was ready. You grabbed the lidded tray when they called your number, seized a fork and a napkin as well, and headed out of the building to return to the stone bench on which you had been previously seated.

After your appetite had been sated, you selected your next destination and made your way towards the museum. Ever since Kylo had sent you the painting, you had found that you were curious about this particular museum since it boasted a large collection in its gallery. You climbed the half flight of stone steps that led up to its brightly colored exterior then stepped through its transparisteel doors. You picked up one of the brochure as you passed the information desk and headed in the direction of the gallery. There were not many people present, although you were hardly surprised given a particular dark-robed occupant that was moving from one sculpture to another.

It caught your eye as well, and you realized that it was of some deity, a humanoid and seemingly genderless, that belonged to the planet. The being did not wear armor, but was instead depicted as wearing fine silks and a small crown. You tilted your head to the side as you arrived next to Kylo Ren. The pair of you were practically shoulder to shoulder, and he did not pull away in the slightest. His mask brought a smile to your face though honestly you found its presence to be a source of minor frustration due to it preventing you from seeing whatever expression he wore as he examined the sculpture.

“The Protector.” You blinked as he rumbled out the title. Next you lowered your gaze in order to read the nameplate, upon which those two words were engraved. “It’s a twin.” A quick gesture of his hand prompted you to twist and gaze upon a second sculpture that was several feet away. It too was genderless; this one, however, wore armor. You hummed in thought.

Curiosity got the better of you, and you broke away from Kylo Ren in order to read the title of The Protector’s twin. It was The Guardian. The twin deities, you read, guided souls into life and into death. They were Masters of the Force, which allowed you to understand why it was that Kylo Ren had been drawn into this museum. You traced the letters on the plaque by the sculpture, returned your limb to your side, and turned to look at him. He had not looked away from the first sculpture. Your eyes dropped down to his hands, which had started to curl though were not full fists.

“I do not recall hearing any stories about these two.”

“No.” Kylo Ren at last adjusted his stance, half-turning to better acknowledge you. “The Emperor ensured that.” You sucked your lips into your mouth and remembered how the Jedi and the Force had been treated by the Empire from which the First Order had later arisen. You did not share all ideologies; when it came to the Force, you were a novice. Kylo Ren had been your first true contact with it.

You shifted nearer to him, pausing a foot away. “I have to admit, I am growing academically curious.” Here he finished turning and closed the last few inches of distance. The visor of his mask was pointed at your face. “Would it annoy you if I picked your brain from time to time.” A puff of air escaped through his vocoder. It might have been amusement; you knew that it was not annoyance. “These are what drew you to the museum.” You enjoyed the fact that you understood him more and more, that he was not objecting to these interactions nor to the glimpses you now had of his appreciation of the arts. He was fascinated by the Force. A scholar, you mused.

In truth, you would have been content to remain there for the entire day with him. Given that you still planned to stop by a tea shop, however, this could not occur. You asked if he would object to you spending another twenty minutes with him in the gallery. His nonverbal answer was to take a step in a different direction then pause until you moved to join his side. The two of you together passed by one painting without a single moment spared to give it any attention. The second, meanwhile, drew you nearer. He did not move on until you were satisfied. It was difficult to keep the smile from your face, and after a time you allowed it to form in full. You felt like an Academy student on a date. That thought made heat seep into your cheeks, memories stirring. You nudged those aside to keep away any awkwardness that would otherwise arise, and enjoyed your time with him.

Leaving Kylo Ren was not uncomfortable though it has been clear to you that he, too, had enjoyed perusing the gallery with you. He slipped away to inspect another painting while you headed for the exit.

Though you had appreciated some of it already, you were struck once more with how much the planet had to offer in terms of scenery. It brought to mind the poem that General Hux had sent. You thought of the durasteel walls that were waiting to welcome you when you returned to the _Finalizer_. Not that you lamented the opportunities provided to you by working on the Star Destroyer; it did allow you to travel more than some of your peers. That being said, you were keen on taking advantage of the fact that you were on a planet. That there were tea shops, one of which you spotted.

You crossed the street and headed towards the tea shop’s door. It was simplistic in structure when compared with some of the neighboring stores, although this did not cause any of the buildings to clash with one another. You walked inside and inhaled the scent of tea being brewed. The interior was sectioned off with simplistic dividers. There was a small area in which one could sit and enjoy a cup of tea such as what was being brewed. Another section contained many of the blends, meanwhile a third area allowed for small samples. The fourth and final section contained miscellaneous items for sale including kettles and infusers.

It was in the third section that you had spotted familiar red hair, however you ventured over to the fourth area so that you could watch him in unison with pricing some of the kettles. General Hux lifted one of the tea samples while you touched the price tag of a smaller kettle. It was more than what you were wanting to spend, although this did not mean you would not purchase it if its quality justified the cost. For the time being, however, you moved on to the next kettle. General Hux brought the sample to his lips and took a small sip. You studied his face from the angle you were at before leaning slightly to the left in order to better view his expression. His lips pressed firmly together, albeit not in a frown.He seemed more indecisive than disappointed.

As he reached for a second sample, his hand paused and his eyes landed on you. Your lips began to spread into a small smile and you offered a quick wave, nothing that would attract a lot of attention outside of its intended recipient. You mouthed a _hi_ that earned a nod of greeting. You took this as enough of a reason to walk away from the kettles and wander over to join him. “Have you found any that you like yet?” you asked when you arrived at his side. Armitage gestured to one of the teas that was to his right. You checked the name and grabbed the available sample to try it for yourself.

It met with your approval, neither two sweet nor bitter. You each grabbed a box of the blend; it was one of a handful that were readily available rather than being in canisters for individual measuring. Before checking out, you also settled on a kettle--Armitage assisted you in deciding which to buy, as he was familiar with two models. When you were both done paying for your purchases, you moved over to where tea was being served. He offered to buy you a drink, and you accepted. Once more did you feel as though you were on a date. It left you feeling rather giddy.

You were seated across from him, leaning in to listen as he recited the poem that had captured your attention. It was little different than when he would give a speech save for the fact that he kept the volume low. “We pass on legends and mythology through words, stories.” He cradled the cup with both his hands, one atop the other, and scanned your face. “In order to be ahead of your competition, you must be aware of their beliefs, their culture. I do not make it a point to read poetry, however that one has been of use on more than a single occasion now.” He paused long enough to take a sip of his tea. “I will lend you the collection when we return.”

“I look forward to that,” you said, sliding a foot forward and touching the toe of your shoe against his.

Spending time on the planet with Kylo Ren and General Hux was something that you were not going to forget any time soon; you kept running through how natural it had felt to be with both of htem while you walked up the ramp of the transport that would return you and the others to the _Finalizer_. Aelin and you had gone over the various versions of the final draft of the proposal until you had settled on the one that best represented your work. You sat beside Aelin, however you continuously glanced up to locate Kylo and Armitage, to see what they were doing. There was so much more that you wanted to know about them both. Returning to the _Finalizer_ was not going to rob you of the opportunities that would allow you to do so. It might make them fewer in number, at least for the next week. This did not steal the feelings of warmth that had nestled in your chest. Agreeing to come to the meeting had been one of the better decisions you had recently made.


End file.
